PDFs not opening? Find out how to fix the issue.

Explore the most common reasons why your computer cannot open PDF files and learn how to fix the issue with Adobe.

Periodically, you might encounter issues with PDFs not opening. As impactful file formats, PDFs are well-suited to both home and work life, but errors can occur. Typically, there’s a simple fix but, unless you know what you’re doing, it can be stressful when a PDF won’t open.

If you’re concerned about a PDF that’s not opening, we’ve tackled some of the leading causes below.

In this guide:

• Common reasons a PDF won’t open.
• Troubleshooting for when a PDF is not opening.
• Why Adobe Acrobat is not opening your PDFs.
• Additional resources for PDFs.
• Get the most out of your PDFs.

Common reasons a PDF won’t open.

PDFs are a popular file type used by millions globally. Usually, PDFs are easily compressed, resized and managed. However, if you’ve hit a snag, you might struggle to do even basic tasks.

Chances are, if you can’t access your files you’re not the first person to encounter this issue – and you probably won’t be the last.

Some of the most common reasons why you can’t open your PDFs include:

• You don’t have the correct software on your laptop for reading PDFs.
• You have a PDF reader on your laptop but it’s out of date or needs an update.
• Your PDF reader is damaged, so may need to be rebooted or reinstalled.
• The PDF you’re trying to open is corrupted, or damaged.
• There is a virus or malicious bug embedded in the PDF you’re trying to open.
• There is existing software on your laptop that’s conflicting with your PDF.
• The size of the PDF is too much for your laptop to process.

Troubleshooting for when a PDF isn’t opening.

Knowing the issue is only half the problem. But if a PDF isn’t opening then you can try and troubleshoot by following the instructions below:

• Install a reliable PDF reader.
• Update your current PDF reader or application.
• Re-download the PDF.
• Resize the PDF.
• Scan for malware or viruses.

Please note, you might not need to carry out all these actions to fix a PDF that won’t open.

Why Adobe Acrobat is not opening your PDFs.

Adobe Acrobat is a reliable PDF reader, editor and more. However, some PDFs won’t open even with Adobe products. If your PDFs are not opening with Adobe Acrobat, there are some simple things you can do to try to rectify this.

• Your version of Adobe Acrobat may need an update. Always aim to have the latest version of Acrobat.
• Close Acrobat and check it’s not running in the background before restarting the program.
• Scan the PDF for malware. It’s unlikely, but Adobe Acrobat could be protecting your computer by not opening the PDF.
• Look under Advanced Properties and ensure you’re running Acrobat as an administrator.
• If you are confident that the PDF isn’t infected with malware and is safe for your device, you can disable protected mode under advanced security preferences.
• In rare cases, an outdated operating system can mean your PDF won’t open. If this is the case, run compatibility mode in Acrobat.

If these actions don’t fix your problem and you still can’t open the PDF, consider uninstalling and reinstalling Acrobat, or even an older version of the program. Sometimes the most recent version can include a glitch that prevents you from opening a PDF.

Additional resources for PDFs.

Once you’ve figured out how to open your PDF, there are a whole host of things you can do with the file. As a secure, printable and shareable file type there are few limitations. However, you may also come across other issues. Below we have a selection of relevant troubleshooting pages:

• Learn how to change your default PDF viewer.
• Can you open your PDF but are unable to save the file? Learn why a PDF won’t save and how to fix it.
• Has your PDF file been corrupted? Learn how to repair a corrupted PDF.

Get the most out of your PDFs.

With PDFs, you can keep your projects moving. Whether you use PDFs for sharing information, managing teams or staying on top of your schedule, you can do more with Acrobat.

Discover what you can do with Adobe Acrobat Reader and Acrobat to open, convert, share, edit and send PDFs.