How to Install Acrobat Pro and Reader Together on Windows Server 2019
Question details
The user needs to install both Adobe Acrobat Pro and Adobe Reader concurrently on a Windows Server 2019 Remote Desktop environment without the installations interfering with each other.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- Windows Server 2019
- Scenario
- Deploying PDF viewing and editing software on a Remote Desktop Terminal Server for a mix of licensed and unlicensed users.
- Observed behavior
- Using standard, separate installers causes one product to block, overwrite, or remove the other during installation.
Ensure you have administrative privileges on the Windows Server 2019 environment and review Adobe's official virtualization documentation for system requirements and volume licensing agreements before proceeding.
Use the Adobe Unified Installer and Enable Reduced Mode
Deploy Adobe's single unified installer which contains both Reader and Pro features, then configure the Windows Registry to prevent upgrade prompts for non-licensed users.
Adobe has discontinued the practice of installing separate Reader and Acrobat Pro applications side-by-side. Instead, they provide a unified installer.
By default, this unified software functions as Adobe Reader. When a user signs in with valid credentials, the application unlocks Acrobat Pro features for that specific session. To prevent unlicensed users from being prompted to upgrade once a licensed user has activated the Pro features on the server, you must enforce Reduced Mode via the registry.
Download and install Adobe Acrobat DC using the unified enterprise installer rather than the standalone Reader package.
Press the Windows Key + R, type 'regedit', and press Enter to open the Registry Editor with administrator privileges.
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureLockDown.
Right-click in the right pane, create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value named 'bIsSCReducedModeEnforcedEx', and set its value data to 1.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do standard Acrobat and Reader installers block each other on Windows Server?
Adobe engineered the newer versions of Acrobat and Reader to share core files and libraries. Installing them side-by-side using separate legacy installers causes file conflicts and licensing issues, which is why Adobe now mandates the unified installer approach.
What happens if I don't enable Reduced Mode in the registry?
If Reduced Mode is not enforced via the 'bIsSCReducedModeEnforcedEx' registry key, standard users who only need Reader functionality will be persistently prompted to sign in and upgrade to Acrobat Pro once the software updates its state on the shared server.
Can I deploy the unified installer on older versions of Windows Server?
Yes, Adobe's unified installer is supported on various server environments, including Windows Server 2016. However, you must always consult Adobe's virtualization deployment guides to ensure your specific environment meets their system requirements.
