Error "The Adobe Acrobat/Reader that is running cannot … view PDF …"

When you view a PDF file on the web, the following error message appears: "The Adobe Acrobat/Reader that is running cannot be used to view PDF files in a web browser. Adobe Acrobat/Reader version 8 or 9 is required. Please exit and try again."

Try this first

• Repair current installation
• Remove all previous versions of Acrobat or Reader

More solutions

• (Advanced) Check the registry path for Acrobat or Reader
• Configure Acrobat or Reader as a helper application
• Run Acrobat or Reader in a new local administrator account
• Visit the forums
• Additional information

Try this first

Repair current installation

Choose Help > Repair Acrobat Installation or Help > Repair Reader Installation.

Remove all previous versions of Acrobat or Reader, and then reinstall 

Adobe does not support multiple versions of Acrobat or Reader on the same machine. Because Acrobat and Reader work with many products, multiple versions simultaneously installed can lead to software conflicts and errors.

You must have administrator privileges to complete these steps. For more information on administrator privileges, see the Windows documentation or contact Microsoft.

More solutions

 1. (Advanced) Check the registry path for Acrobat or Reader 

Disclaimer: The registry contains system-related information that is critical to your computer and applications. Before modifying the registry, be sure to make a backup copy of it. Adobe doesn't provide support for problems that can arise from improperly modifying the registry. Adobe strongly recommends that you have experience editing system files before you modify the registry. For information on the Windows Registry Editor, see the documentation for Windows or contact Microsoft Technical Support.

The default path for Reader is "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe."
The default path for Acrobat is "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 9.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe."

Note: If Acrobat or Reader is installed in a different location than the default path, make sure that the key's (Default) value points to the actual location.

For a video demonstration of the procedure, go to kb2.adobe.com/cps/515/cpsid_51501.html.

If the above registry item doesn't exist on the system, do the following:

 2. Configure Acrobat or Reader as a helper application

With Acrobat or Reader configured as a helper application, the browser starts the helper application in a separate window and displays PDFs within that window.

 3. Run Acrobat or Reader in a new local administrator account

Create a user account that has the same permissions as the account you use when the problem occurs. Or, create a new local administrator account. If the problem doesn't recur when you log on to the new account, then the original user account could be damaged.

For information on setting up a user account, see "Create a user account" in Windows Help And Support, or contact your network administrator. For information on setting up a new local administrator account, see Create new local administrator account (Windows Vista).

 4. Visit the forums

See if other users are experiencing similar problems by visiting the forums for Acrobat, Reader, or AcrobatUsers.com. If you don't see your issue listed, post it on the forums for interactive troubleshooting. When posting on forums, include your operating system and your product's version number.

Additional information 

This error can occur when the folder that contains Acrobat or Reader or one of its parent or subfolders has been renamed or moved. This error can also occur if Acrobat or Reader is not defined as the helper application within the browser.