Disable Email Option in Reader DC

[mscirri]

Is it possible to disable the "Email" button in Acrobat Reader DC through registry settings or otherwise? I am trying to lock down our instances at a machine level so documents cannot be emailed.  I have disabled other features but I cannot find any documentation on this other than disabling WebMail.

Thank you,

Marc

[EnterpriseHelp]

Can you describe specifically what workflow you are trying to block? What UI in Acrobat is the problem?

Of course, there is no way to use an Acrobat setting to block usage of 3rd party apps such as email clients. Users will always be able to open an email app, attach a PDF, and send.

[mscirri]

When a PDF is displayed in the viewer, I want to be able to disable the email icon.   Documents are displayed through a PDF viewing control in our proprietary software.   I have already prevented them being able to save documents and have disabled the Webmail feature all through registry settings.  

Basically, I am trying to prevent a malicious internal user from being able to send that document anywhere outside of our system.

Thank you,

Marc

[EnterpriseHelp]

Can you send a screenshot of the Acrobat product (and product name and version #) that displays the email icon?

[mscirri]

Sure thing:

[EnterpriseHelp]

Thanks. Big help.

So I don't have that version installed right now, but I see that's tied to the Send and Track feature. Can you open up the tools panel and see if there's anything else you need to disable? For example, Share/Commenting (send for review) . . .

There's a way to do what you want to do.

[mscirri]

Nothing under there but the same "attach and email" feature is found under the File menu called "Attach to Email"

I also have the following registry settings already setup:

[EnterpriseHelp]

Send and track also uses email. It also installs an Outlook plugin for emailing docs. Do you need to disable that as well?

[mscirri]

Yes, but I thought I caught that in the registry value bToggleSendAdnTrack.

[EnterpriseHelp]

bAdobeSendPlugin is related: see Services integration

You can remove menu items with JS in Acrobat's JS folder. I thought it was app.hideMenuItem("Email");, but that didn't work for me. Still investigating. . .

[EnterpriseHelp]

Status: I'm checking on this end whether or not the menu APIs are still viable.

[EnterpriseHelp · Accepted solution]

The JS API is only for removing menu items in drop down menus. There is no way to remove the icons from the main UI toolbar.

[mscirri]

Shoot. OK.  So is there an Adobe "suggestion box" where I can ask for such capabilities?   I just want to lock things down the best that I can.

[EnterpriseHelp]

You could make a feature request, but given that any user could simply use another email program or the web to circumvent the restriction, it's unlikely to be seen as having much value. However, you never know:

Acrobat for Windows and Mac: Top (1766 ideas) – Share your feedback on Acrobat DC

[mscirri]

Well, don't forget, in our environment users do not have access to the file itself, it is simply served up through our application.  so they can't just navigate to a PDF file and manually attach it. That is where the security benefit comes into play.

[mscirri]

In any event, I have submitted my idea.   Thank you for your help.