Unified installer for Windows 64-bit

Adobe provides a unified installer for Acrobat and Reader on Windows 64-bit to streamline installations and simplify app management for large enterprises. The unified installer is a single-app initiative allowing users to access Acrobat and Reader functionalities through one installer. It features a common default installation location and a shared executable and registry hive for easier management.

Key benefits

  • Single app installation: No need for two separate installations, streamlining setup and saving time.

  • Simplified product deployment: A single default install path for easier product deployment and management: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC

  • Easy activation methods: Support for both simple activation methods, (NUL) Named User Licensing and FRL (Federated ID Licensing) on 64-bit Windows .

  • License-based activation: Features determined by license credentials, with Acrobat rights providing access to licensed features and Reader users accessing basic features.

  • Harmonious updates: Consistent workflows for automatic and managed updates.

Unsupported features

  • Serial number activation

  • Third-party plugins in Acrobat reduced mode, when running as Reader rather than Acrobat.

  • Shared Device Licensing on the Unified Acrobat like the standalone 64-bit version.

  • File conversion:

    • AutoCAD files using the ODA library

    • Visio files through Acrobat’s context menu

    • Project files through Acrobat’s context menu

    • XPS files to PDF

    • EMF files to PDF

  • Support for Lotus notes as the default email client in SendMail

  • Separate installations for 64-bit Reader and 64-bit Acrobat on the same machine

Installation on a clean machine

After installing the 64-bit Acrobat unified installer on a machine without a previous installation, ensure the following changes:

  1. The coexistence matrix differs for the app installed using the unified installer.

  2. The following optional tools are NOT installed by default, and we recommend using the command lines to install them:

    Preflight, 3D plugin, XPS2PDF, Multimedia plugin, Autocad PDFM

You can use the command lines to install optional components.

Installation over existing products

You can update to the latest version, using the auto-update mode or the command-line installation method.

Auto-update mode

When you manually update the Adobe Acrobat installation while automatic updates are enabled:

  • 32-bit Continuous track Reader: Updates to the 64-bit unified installer.

  • Reader users: Prompted to upgrade to Acrobat if signed in with a paid credential.

  • Classic track: Does not automatically upgrade to the unified installer.

64-bit Acrobat over 32-bit Acrobat or Reader

  1. Verify you’re adhering to the Product compatibility upgrade matrix.

  2. Run the following command:

Setup.exe /sAll /slf /re /msi DISABLE_FIU_CHECK=1 TRANSITION_INSTALL_MODE=3

  1. Perform the config.

Optional components for 64-bit installs

  1. Verify you’re adhering to the Product compatibility upgrade matrix.

  2. Run the following command:

Setup.exe /sAll /msi ADDLOCAL=OptionalFeatures,DistillerCJKNative,DistillerCJKSupport,PaperCaptureOptional,
PreFlightPlugin DISABLE_FIU_CHECK=1 TRANSITION_INSTALL_MODE=4 SKIP_WEBRCS_REINSTALL=1 SKIP_CEF_KILL=1

  1. Perform the config.

Install all components for 64-bit installs

  1. Verify you’re adhering to the Product compatibility upgrade matrix.

  2. Run the following command:

Setup.exe /sAll /msi ADDLOCAL=ALL

  1. Perform the config.

64-bit Reader over any 32-bit app

Note that a standalone 64-bit Reader is available.

  1. Verify you’re adhering to the Product compatibility upgrade matrix.

  2. Run the following command:

Setup.exe /sAll /re /msi DISABLE_FIU_CHECK=1

  1. Perform the config.

Product compatibility upgrade matrix

The following tables describes the action you must take during an upgrade given an existing install.

Installation via Setup.exe (Installer screens visible)

Existing installation

License type

Install 64-bit standalone Reader

Install 64-bit unified Acrobat or Reader

32-bit Acrobat Continuous track

Serial 1

Uninstall the existing app

Uninstall the existing app

32-bit Acrobat Continuous track

NUL & FRL

Uninstall the existing app

Install 64-bit Acrobat over the existing app

Acrobat 10/11/2015/2017/2020 Classic track

Serial & NUL

Install the new app. Coexistence is allowed.

Install the new app. Coexistence is allowed when the install is not silent. 2

Acrobat 9 and below

Serial

Uninstall the existing app and install Reader

Uninstall the existing app and the unified installer

32-bit Reader all versions and tracks 3

Any

Uninstall the existing app and install Reader

Uninstall the existing app and the unified installer

64-bit Reader Continuous

N/A

Installing a new app triggers a repair action.

Install 64-bit Acrobat over the existing app. Reader upgrades to Acrobat.

64-bit Acrobat Continuous

NUL

Uninstall the existing app

Installing a new app triggers a repair action.

  • 1: If the license type cannot be determined, the install is automatically blocked.

  • 2: The install must be in “UI mode”. The user must choose to continue.

  • 3: If the 32-bit Reader version is higher than the 64-bit installer version, the install is blocked.

Command line installs (silent mode)

Existing installation:

License type

Install 64-bit standalone Reader

Install 64-bit unified Acrobat or Reader

32-bit Acrobat Continuous track

Any

Uninstall the existing app

Install the new app. The existing app is automatically removed.

Acrobat 10/11/2015/2017/2020 Classic track

Any

Install the new app. These apps can coexist.

Install the new app. The existing app is automatically removed.

Acrobat 9 and below

Serial

Install the new app. The existing app is automatically removed.

Install the new app. The existing app is automatically removed.

32-bit Reader all versions and tracks 1

Any

Install the new app. The existing app is automatically removed.

Install the new app. The existing app is automatically removed.

64-bit Reader Continuous

N/A

Installing a new app triggers a repair action.

Install 64-bit Acrobat over the existing app. Reader upgrades to Acrobat.

64-bit Acrobat Continuous

NUL

Uninstall the existing app

Installing a new app triggers a repair action.

  • 1: If the 32-bit Reader version is higher than the 64-bit installer version, the install is blocked.