Adobe Reader--any reason not to uninstall?

[conceptualclarity]

It's a target of exploits. All the security vulnerabilities make it a liability in all circumstances, and I can't update it on my operating system.

I'm pretty happy with an alternative, PDFXChange Viewer.

I don't like the aggressiveness of AcroRoad.exe. I find it frequently popping up on Process Explorer, using up resources, when I have not chosen to open it.

Do I have anything to lose by uninstalling it? Will I run into any significant problems?

 

[SHvFl]

If you don't use it then remove it.

 

[Evjl's Rain]

no reason to keep it honestly
It's slow, heavy

 

[Ink]

I replaced Adobe Reader DC with Foxit Reader. Some Government websites may recommend Adobe due to special features, but other Readers/Editors may work as well.

 

[siren05]

Adobe programs are always bloated. Get rid of it. I personally use sumatra PDF, its free, lightweight and fast for normal pdf viewing.

 

[hjlbx]

SumatraPDF reader if you need just a basic PDF reader.

PDF-XChange Viewer if you want editing capabilities. (need sufficient RAM)

Both are freeware.

I use SumatraPDF and recommend it. I use PDF-XChange Viewer and recommend it.

Adobe is a needless security risk and a resource hog too...

 

[aragornnnn]

I still use it... once a month maybe only for pdf's i trust

If you use it alot its probably better to look for something else though.

 

[Omnipotent]

I use Chrome's built in PDF viewer.

 

[Ink]

@hjlbx Your opinion about Foxit Reader Free Version?

 

[novocaine]

Adobe Reader may be heavy, but it's relative. I also have ever tried another PDF readers which is said lighter, and yes they're lighter. but it's just for small PDF file. when I open big size PDF file, the vice versa, Adobe runs stabil, it's just the same like opening small size PDF while the other readers is way too heavy. I worked at EPC company which often get large size PDF containing design drawing with paper size A0, A1 etc with so many pages. so actually it depends on what you need. sorry for bad english

 

[shmu26]

I use Foxit for standard reading of PDF files, but I use Adobe when I need more capabilities. It is good with multi-languages including non-roman characters, and has more and better features.

 

[hjlbx]

@hjlbx Your opinion about Foxit Reader Free Version?

The way I evaluate PDF readers is how smooth the scrolling is and the scroll speed - not super-zippy and not creepy-slow and definitely not stuttering.

On my specific systems - all Toshiba - SumatraPDF and PDF XChange-Viewer offered the smoothest scrolling with the just-right scroll speed.

I also hate PDF "drift" - where you just touch the PDF and it goes flying to the top or bottom of the window - or that slow drift.

Advanced features aren't needed by me - what is important to me is the ease-of-use and a good, smooth PDF-viewing experience.

NOTE: PDF XC-Viewer uses 300+ MB RAM - dependent upon how many and the size of PDFs you have open at a given time. For really large size PDFs I have seen it go to 600 MB RAM with only that single large PDF in use.

If you have RAM, don't worry about it.

* * * * *

Foxit Reader scroll speed was either too fast or craggy.

NitroPDF was stuttering and loaded slowly.

That being said, Foxit might be a super-star on your specific system.

 

[shmu26]

there are certain fonts that only FOXIT displays in a pleasing way, at all levels of zoom

 

[hjlbx]

there are certain fonts that only FOXIT displays in a pleasing way, at all levels of zoom

I use virtually all English PDFs - so I've never had any issues with font rendering that I recall. So I've never had to select a PDF based upon its ability to render fonts - or images, tables, etc.

But I can understand that it is important to some users.

 

[BoraMurdar]

Absolutely no need for Adobe's PDF Reader. A lot of sites will tell you that from time to time you will encounter a complex PDF that only Adobe can open properly. And believe me, I work with PDFs on daily basis and never encountered a PDF that Sumatra or Foxit cannot open properly.

Used Sumatra PDF for a long time after I ditched it when I needed to copy-paste some text. Seems that Sumatra and PDFXChange cannot copy text in the exact formatting type like in a original document. So, now, I am using Chrome when I just need to view and print some PDFs, and Foxit Reader Portable is sitting on my D partition when I need some advanced features to extract images, or copy lines of text without losing the formatting.

Another good, not so famous PDF reader is Gaaiho PDF Reader 4.0. This program is fast and full of advanced features for a free software. You can even add some text into a PDF and save the PDF.

Gaaiho Reader 4 features:

• Scan and find all PDF in the computer or certain paths by the built-in PDF Manager. You can also add PDF files to Favorites and open them without having to search or look up the recent list.
• Scan and manage all PDF documents in your computer.
• Add files which need frequent revisions to Favorites.
• Deliver your presentation more effectively with laser pointer-styled cursor in full screen. View PDF documents using splits, grid and multiple windows.
• Use laser pointer-styled cursor in full screen mode.
• Split-view your document.
• Annotate your PDF with a complete set of comment tools, such as text box, stamp, highlight and note. Use typewriter to place text anywhere on the page and attach file or sound to further illustrate points. To review all comments, open the comment panel which lists all comments and related information.
• Change annotation color, font, style and more.
• Insert text box, callout, typewriter and mark PDF with draw tools.
• Attach file or sound to document.
• Export, import or migrate comments.
• Save PDF as .txt file. (Simple, Unicode)
• Click to fill in interactive form fields or use text tools for static form. You can turn on the highlight feature to indicate the fillable fields or just complete the form quickly with auto-fill.
• Fill in interactive form.
• Use typewriter to fill in static form.
• Highlight fillable form fields.
• Auto-fill.
• Protect your PDF document from unauthorized changes using password, signature, verification or timestamp.
• Secure PDF with open password. Exclusive！
• Set up and add timestamp to your PDF.
• Sign PDF by drawing or typing your name.
• Digital ID supported.
• Verify signature and view signed version.
• Connect your PDF to cloud services and make file sharing easier than ever. Choose one of the special layouts to produce documents with professional look and feel.
• Send PDF to Evernote, Dropbox or as e-mail attachment.
• Use one of the page handling options to best fit your publication layout.
• Print only the content (document & comments, document or form fields) you want to the sheet.
• Edit documents by copying text to clipboard or other applications and check spelling with spell-check. You can also use the Read Out Loud feature or change text/background color for better reading accessibility.
• Read PDF document with rate up/down options
• Use spell-check for all your texts, annotations and form fields
• Select an area and create stamp model from it
• Change text and background colors.

New Features in Gaaiho Reader 4.0：

• New UI design which supports high-resolution display.
• Added touch mode and enhanced UI for touch-enabled devices.
• Added online PDF conversion service that supports PDF-to-Word, Word-to-PDF, Excel-to-PDF, PPT-to-PDF, PDF-to-JPG, and JPG-to-PDF, etc.
• Added Find feature for searching specific tools on the Ribbon toolbar.
• Added Index feature which supports embedding index in the current document and creating indexes for PDF files in a specified folder.
• Added Form feature which supports Reset Form Field and Import/Export Form Data.
• Added Save to DMS feature which supports check-in/check-out PDF files from SharePoint.
• Added Save All Images feature to the right-click menu of Hand Tool.
• Supported XMP which makes it possible to display more metadata.
• Added a new message bar which shows information of Signatures, Highlight Form Fields, etc.
• New Portfolio UI design.
• Added the option to disable JavaScript.
• Added Open/ Minimize All Pop-ups to the right-click menu of Comment.
• Supported Windows 10.

Improvements：

• Improved Recent Documents. Nonexistent documents will be removed from the list upon clicking.
• Improved uninstall process by adding an option to let user clear related registry records and user data.
• Added new signature status messages to make digital signing more user-friendly.
• Enhanced keyboard functionality.
• Improved preview quality for PDF Manager.
• Improved line types in Draw Tools.
• Fixed UI display issues when using high contrast colors.
• Various bug fixes.

Download: Gaaiho Reader 4.0 | 48.6 MB (Freeware)
Link: Gaaiho Reader Home Page

 

[kev216]

Absolutely no need to keep it. It's using so much unneeded RAM. It's really bloat. I ditched it for SumatraPDF and I never looked back. In the early times, when there were not much alteratives it was away to go. Now there is better competition to choose from.

 

[askmark]

I know I'm in the minority but I still use Adobe Reader DC.

I've used all the other pdf readers mentioned but none of them have the polish of AR. Foxit reader came close but I found it buggy and unstable. This was many years ago so maybe I need to give it another chance. Sumatra PDF is nice because it portable but it lacks certain functionality and in my experience didn't handle large or complex PDF'a very well.

The majority of my PDF usage is at work and as far as I know none of the alternatives are free for commercial use so I have little choice but to use AR anyway.

 

[Nico@FMA]

I know I'm in the minority but I still use Adobe Reader DC.

I've used all the other pdf readers mentioned but none of them have the polish of AR. Foxit reader came close but I found it buggy and unstable. This was many years ago so maybe I need to give it another chance.Sumatra PDF is nice because it portable but it lacks certain functionality and in my experience didn't handle large or complex PDF'a very well.

The majority of my PDF usage is at work and as far as I know none of the alternatives are free for commercial use so I have little choice but to use AR anyway.

Jup on top of that within the industry a program as foxit reader (while not bad) would lose out to AR anyway since company pdf (sensitive) papers require security settings that other PDF readers just do not support or do not have. Or the PDF itself is impossible to open without AR.

 

[CMLew]

Ditched Adobe Reader on every of my household pc. Instead I use Sumatra PDf and PDF Xchange Editor Plus (bought a licensed version for more editing/batching capabilities).

 

[hjlbx]

Absolutely no need for Adobe's PDF Reader. A lot of sites will tell you that from time to time you will encounter a complex PDF that only Adobe can open properly. And believe me, I work with PDFs on daily basis and never encountered a PDF that Sumatra or Foxit cannot open properly.

Used Sumatra PDF for a long time after I ditched it when I needed to copy-paste some text. Seems that Sumatra and PDFXChange cannot copy text in the exact formatting type like in a original document. So, now, I am using Chrome when I just need to view and print some PDFs, and Foxit Reader Portable is sitting on my D partition when I need some advanced features to extract images, or copy lines of text without losing the formatting.

Another good, not so famous PDF reader is Gaaiho PDF Reader 4.0. This program is fast and full of advanced features for a free software. You can even add some text into a PDF and save the PDF.

This is new one to me... thanks @BoraMurdar