“Hello I’m having problems uninstalling Adobe Acrobat Reader DC from my system, it keeps returning. I need to get Adobe Acrobat Reader DC completely off my Windows 10 computer. Earlier this morning, I tried to uninstall Acrobat Reader DC from Programs & Features window, and it came up with a “preparing to remove” message staying there for up to 15 minutes, but finally Acrobat Reader DC was gone from the list. And now I have problem in re-installing the program. It runs through the download and about 70% through the installation, I receive a message telling that I have a more up to date version installed on my computer and then the installation cuts off. I guess Acrobat Reader DC didn’t uninstall from my computer completely. How do I manually delete its trace?”
If you suspect Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is not removed completely or Windows refuses you to uninstall this program, then this post will help you easily and effectively get rid of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC in a couple of minutes.
What’s Adobe Acrobat Reader DC?
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is a free program developed by software giant Adobe Inc to let people view, print, sign, share, and annotate PDF files. It’s the best PDF viewer on the market, not only because it’s easy to use, but also packed with all the tools you need to convert, edit, and sign PDFs across computers, tablets and smartphones. Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is also the only PDF viewer that can open and interact with all types of PDF content – including forms and multimedia. And since Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is connected to Adobe Document Cloud services now, you can easily get your work done from anywhere on any device. With this software, you can convert documents and images to PDF easily, use your smartphone camera to capture and turn any document into a high-quality PDF, and even turn webpages into interactive PDFs with live links. And the coolest feature for Acrobat Reader DC is it can read text out loud, guiding you along any document that’s challenging to read. For added security, Adobe Acrobat Reader DC contains a protected mode and protected view to keep your computer safe. It’s a fantastic tool that does more than just open and view PDF files.
About Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Removal:
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is a cloud-based PDF document management solution that enables businesses of all sizes view, sign, comment, edit, export and share documents with annotations and online storage. It is used by millions, but some people still want to get rid of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC from their machine. The common reasons why they want to uninstall Adobe Acrobat Reader DC include:
- Adobe Acrobat Reader DC lacks of the product features they need.
- Want to switch to other better PDF viewers.
- Need to uninstall the old version and download the latest version instead.
- Just need Adobe Acrobat Reader DC for trial or testing.
- The program is not functioning properly on the machine.
When it comes to uninstall Adobe Acrobat Reader DC from Windows, the Windows Control Panel is usually the first port of call. Yes, in most cases, the method did work to uninstall Acrobat Reader DC but it could leave numerous files and entries in the system, which could threaten the stability of the system. Therefore, a perfect solution to uninstall Acrobat Reader DC from Windows should involve in removing the software itself as well as its associated files and registry entries. Now you can follow the instructions below to remove Adobe Acrobat Reader DC from your computer without leaving a trace. You can choose to uninstall Adobe Acrobat Reader DC manually if you are an advanced user, or rely on a third-party uninstaller for a quick fix.
How to Completely Uninstall Adobe Acrobat Reader DC on Windows 10?
If you are new to Windows 10, you may not know how to uninstall a program or app. Windows 10 includes an uninstaller option available through the Start Menu and via Settings -> Apps & Features window, not to mention Control Panel, which is still alive and kicking. Choose a method that you prefer to uninstall Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. And to make sure Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is removed completely and no traces are left behind, you have to manually delete its files and registry entries after the program is uninstalled.
Method 1: Uninstall from Start Menu
Windows 10 added an option to uninstall apps with a right-click in the Start menu. To do this, go to Start > All apps and find Acrobat Reader DC. Right-click on it and then click Uninstall from the drop-down menu that appears. If you can’t find Acrobat Reader DC in the Start menu, you can try other methods listed below.
Method 2: Uninstall with Apps & Features
In some cases, you cannot find an app or program that you want to uninstall in the Start menu. So, you can try to open the “Apps & Features” page in the Settings app and uninstall Acrobat Reader DC from there.
1. Go to Start->Settings.
2. Choose System and then click Apps & Features from the left pane. You will see a list of all installed apps appear in the right pane, sorted by size, name or install date.
3. Select Adobe Acrobat Reader DC and Click Uninstall to start the removal process. You may need to confirm the removal by clicking Uninstall in the pop-up window. When it’s completed, Adobe Acrobat Reader DC will disappear from the list.
Method 3: Uninstall through Programs & Features in Control Panel
If you’re really devoted to using the Control Panel for uninstalling Adobe Acrobat Reader DC on Windows 10, that still works too. But please note it only works for traditional desktop programs, not apps. Do the following:
1. In Windows 10, click the search box on the taskbar. Then type control panel and click the Control Panel search result.
2. Go to Programs and Features (or go to Uninstall a Program if your Control Panel is in the category view).
3. This tool will pull a complete list of programs installed on your computer. Scroll through the list until you find Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. Right-click on Adobe Acrobat Reader DC and select Uninstall. You’ll see a pop-up window asking if you’re sure you want to uninstall this program, click Yes to proceed the uninstallation. After it is done, you have to reboot your PC to take effect.
(IMPORTANT) One More Step – To Manually Delete Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Leftovers:
From the moment you install Acrobat Reader DC, it creates many files and folders, and develops a significant presence in your computer’s Registry. Only if you delete all traces and leftovers of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC from your computer, you effectively uninstall this program. Common leftovers of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC include its registration files, empty folders, dll files, invalid registry entries and more. These leftovers may not pose a major threat but it can occupy some space on your computer if you don’t delete them in time. So, in the next step, you have to manually delete Acrobat Reader DC leftovers. Be sure to back up all your important data first because a small mistake might adversely affect the functioning of your machine and even result in permanent data loss or corrupted files.
Check the following folders and delete associated files first.
- C:\Users\[your username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC
Next, you have to delete Adobe Acrobat Reader DC entries from Windows registry.
Press Windows + R, and type in regedit in RUN box, then press Enter. It’ll open Registry Editor.
Locate the following keys:
- HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-2987805845-2348416488-1019701804-1001\Software\Adobe
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.acrobatsecuritysettings
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\Folders
If you find any keys with the name of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, just delete such keys.
Warning:
The manual method described above is designed for those who had experience in editing registry entries. When you perform the manual removal instruction, you need to know what you’re doing, or you can seriously damage your OS. If you are not skillful enough to find what to delete, or none of the above methods work for you, you can consider using a third-party uninstaller to uninstall Adobe Acrobat Reader DC effectively.
Method 4: Uninstall Using A Third-Party Uninstaller (Recommended)
There are many third-party uninstallers for Windows 10 that are designed specifically to make it not only possible but also easier for users to uninstall unwanted applications, and Uninstallor happens to be one of the best ones. It is quite lightweight and works on 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP. Even the stubborn apps that cannot be removed using standard uninstaller, Uninstallor can get rid of it with just 3 easy steps. It is a much faster and more powerful alternative to “Windows Add or Remove Programs” applet.
1. Analyze.
When Uninstallor is started, its main window fills with the programs installed on your computer. Select Adobe Acrobat Reader DC and click on Analyze Now button, then it will analyze all the data associated with Adobe Acrobat Reader DC and searches for all its leftover files.
2. Uninstall.
Click on Uninstall Now button to start the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC uninstallation with Uninstallor. Next, you need to click on Yes to confirm the removal.
3. Remove.
Click Remove Now to clear all the components for Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, you’ll see the message telling you that all Adobe Acrobat Reader DC leftovers have been completely removed.
Video Guide on How to Uninstall Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
Conclusion:
The built-in Windows uninstallers will get the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC removal job done, but they may not get it done cleanly and you still need to time and energy to figure out where and what to delete to clear out the Acrobat Reader DC leftovers. Uninstallor is a helpful third-party uninstaller that makes uninstalling Adobe Acrobat Reader DC much easier. With its advanced and fast algorithm, it analyzes Adobe Acrobat Reader DC’s data before uninstall and scans after you uninstall the program. This way you can be sure no leftovers left behind after Acrobat Reader DC is removed. Free download the Uninstallor for a trial to get rid of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC completely!
Published by Tony Shepherd & last updated on June 12, 2020 7:11 am
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