Install Adobe Acrobat Reader | Windows

Follow the instructions below to download and install Adobe Acrobat Reader on Windows.

Mac users: If you're running macOS, see Install Adobe Acrobat Reader on Mac OS.

System requirements

Before you install, always make sure that your system meets the minimum system requirements.

Installing Acrobat Reader on older operating systems

You need Windows 7 or later to run Acrobat Reader. If your operating system is older,
you can install an earlier version of Acrobat Reader. For step-by-step instructions, see Install an older version of Adobe Reader | Windows.

Note:

If you're not sure of your Windows version, check Which Windows operating system am I running?

Explorer: Download and install Acrobat Reader

Follow these steps to install Acrobat Reader using Internet Explorer.

  1. Close all versions of Acrobat Reader. Close any browser that is displaying a PDF.
  2. Go to the Adobe Acrobat Reader download page and click Download Acrobat Reader.

  3. When the file download message appears at the bottom of the browser window, click Run.

    Note:

    Acrobat Reader installation is a two-part process: The installer is downloaded, and then Acrobat Reader is installed. Be sure to wait until both parts are complete. A progress bar displays the time remaining.

  4. When you see the confirmation message that the installation is complete, click Finish.

Firefox: Download and install Acrobat Reader

Follow these steps to install Acrobat Reader using Mozilla Firefox.

  1. Close all versions of Acrobat Reader. Close any browser that is displaying a PDF.
  2. Go to the Adobe Acrobat Reader download page and click Download Acrobat Reader.

  3. When the Opening dialog box appears, click Save File.

  4. Press Ctrl+J to open the download Library. When the download Library window appears, double-click the .exe file for Acrobat Reader.

  5. If prompted to open the executable file, click OK.

    Note:

    Acrobat Reader installation is a two-part process: The installer is downloaded, and then Acrobat Reader is installed. Be sure to wait until both parts are complete. A progress bar displays the time remaining.

  6. When you see the confirmation message that the installation is complete, click Finish.

Chrome: Download and install Acrobat Reader

Follow these steps to install Acrobat Reader using Google Chrome.

  1. Close all versions of Acrobat Reader. Close any browser that is displaying a PDF.
  2. Go to the Adobe Acrobat Reader download page and click Download Acrobat Reader.

  3. Click Save to download the Acrobat Reader installer.

  4. When the downloaded file appears at the bottom of the browser window, click the .exe file for Acrobat Reader.

    Note:

    Acrobat Reader installation is a two-part process: The installer is downloaded, and then Acrobat Reader is installed. Be sure to wait until both parts are complete. A progress bar displays the time remaining.

  5. When you see the confirmation message that the installation is complete, click Finish.

Still need help?

For a list of known issues and more in-depth troubleshooting, see Troubleshoot Adobe Reader installation | Windows

To see if other users are experiencing similar download and installation problems, visit the Acrobat Reader user forum. Try posting your problem on the forums for interactive troubleshooting. When posting on forums, include your operating system and product version number.   

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