How to Load Adobe PDF Files Faster: Ways to Increase Speed

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Open Adobe PDF files quickly on Windows
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Are you wondering why Adobe Acrobat is loading so slow? Opening PDF documents may take a long time because of the number of plug-ins that Acrobat loads during start-up. Luckily, these plug-ins can be disabled to reduce the Acrobat loading time. You can also use Adobe's PDF Optimizer or disable Protected View. Here's how to load Adobe PDF files faster when it's running slow on Windows 10 and 11.

Fixing Adobe Acrobat Reader When It's Slow

If your PDF file is moving slowly in Adobe Acrobat, you can disable your plug-ins to make it load faster. Find the Acrobat plug-ins folder, then move the plug-in files to a temporary folder outside its original location. You can also optimize your PDF using Adobe's PDF Optimizer.

Section 1 of 6:

Disabling Plug-Ins

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  1. If you want to speed up Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can temporarily disable your plug-ins by moving them out of the Adobe Acrobat folder. To view your current plug-ins and what they do, do the following:
    • Click ☰ Menu in the top-left corner of Adobe Acrobat.
    • Click Help near the bottom of the menu.
    • Click About Adobe plug-ins… .
    • Select a plug-in from the left panel to view its description.
    • Note the plug-ins you want to disable.
    • Click OK to close the window.
    • Close Adobe Acrobat.
  2. Open the File Explorer. This is the folder icon on your taskbar or in the Start menu.
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  3. This will vary depending on your installation settings, but you can usually find it in C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\plug_ins.
  4. Create a new folder. This folder will hold your plug-in files to temporarily remove them from Adobe Acrobat.
    • To create a new folder, right-click an empty area of your desktop and select New > Folder. Name this folder Optional or something similar.
    • It's recommended to move the new folder into the Acrobat folder so you can access it again easily. Just make sure it's not in the plug-ins folder.
  5. For quick moving, open both folders side-by-side. Select the plug-ins you want to disable, and then drag them into the new folder.
    • To select multiple files at once, hold CTRL on your keyboard as you click.
  6. It should now load without the plug-ins, which should increase the startup speed.
    • You can enable the disabled plug-ins at any time by moving them back into the plug-ins folder from the Optional folder.
  7. If you use your plug-ins frequently and don't want to move them, you can temporarily disable them. Hold the Shift key while double-clicking the PDF file you want to open.
    • Adobe Acrobat won't load any of the plug-ins while opening the document. However, many of the document manipulation features are unavailable.
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Section 2 of 6:

Using PDF Optimizer

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  1. You can use Adobe's built-in PDF Optimizer tool to reduce the file size of a specific PDF so it can load more quickly.
  2. This is in the top-left corner of Acrobat.
  3. More options will open.
  4. A pop-up window will open.
  5. Select a save location, and then click Save . The new file is now optimized.
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Section 3 of 6:

Disabling Protected View

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  1. This is in the top-left corner of Acrobat. On some devices, this may look like Edit . [1]
    • Keep in mind that Protected View is used to avoid security risks with your device. It's recommended that you keep this feature enabled if you work with PDFs from unsecure locations.
  2. This is towards the bottom of the drop-down menu.
  3. You can find this in the left panel.
  4. This is in the Sandbox Protections area.
    • Alternatively, select Files From Potentially Unsafe Locations to keep protections enabled for flagged files.
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Section 4 of 6:

Ways to Reduce PDF Size

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  1. If you have images with multiple layers, this can greatly increase your file size. To reduce the size of the overall file, flatten the PDF into a single layer.
  2. This includes any open form fields, comments, attachments, and other markups on the PDF.
    • To quickly remove objects, select All tools > Redact a PDF > Sanitize Document > Remove hidden information .
  3. If you use more than one standard font in the PDF, it may take a while to load the fonts properly. Try switching to one common font, such as Times New Roman or Helvetica.
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Section 5 of 6:

Disabling New Acrobat

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  1. This is in the top-left corner of Acrobat. On some devices, this may look like Edit .
    • The new version of Acrobat Reader includes additional features and changes to the interface. Some users reported that reverting to the older version can speed up your PDF load times.
  2. This is in the drop-down menu.
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Section 6 of 6:

Why is Adobe Acrobat so slow?

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  1. Adobe Acrobat may be slow to open due to certain settings and plug-ins. If you have a lot of third-party plug-ins enabled, you may have trouble opening PDF files quickly. Some settings, such as Protected View, can take longer to load since it disables most features for extra security.
    • Other factors, such as your device age and specs, can also play a role in how fast or slow Adobe Acrobat loads. However, this slowness is usually experienced with all programs, not just Adobe. In this case, you can try to boost your PC's overall performance .

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      • Consider using an alternative PDF reader (most of which are much faster), such as Foxit Reader, Sumatra PDF, or PDF X-Change.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/reader/using/protected-mode-windows.html

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