Fix Adobe Acrobat Pro Side-by-Side Configuration Error
Question details
The user is unable to launch Adobe Acrobat Pro because of an incorrect side-by-side configuration error.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Attempting to open the Adobe Acrobat Pro application or a PDF document.
- Observed behavior
- The application fails to start and displays a Windows system message stating: 'The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect.'
Ensure you are logged into Windows with an administrator account, as fixing this issue requires installing system-level redistributable packages.
Repair or Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables
This error is most commonly caused by corrupted or incomplete Microsoft Visual C++ runtime libraries. Repairing them usually resolves the startup failure.
Adobe Acrobat Pro relies on Microsoft Visual C++ libraries to function properly on Windows. If these libraries become corrupted or if a previous installation was interrupted, the application's configuration gets out of sync with the system.
Navigate to the official Microsoft Support website and search for 'latest supported Visual C++ downloads'. Download both the x86 and x64 executable files if you are running a 64-bit version of Windows.
Double-click the downloaded redistributable installer. If the package is already installed, choose the 'Repair' option from the setup menu. Otherwise, follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.
Close the installer and restart Windows to ensure the registry and system files are properly updated.
Once the computer reboots, double-click the Adobe Acrobat Pro shortcut to verify that the side-by-side configuration error is resolved.
Perform a Clean Reinstallation of Adobe Acrobat
If the Visual C++ repair does not work, the Acrobat installation itself may be corrupted and requires a complete removal and reinstall.
Open and Edit PDFs Instantly with WPS Office
If you are unable to resolve the side-by-side configuration error or need immediate access to your PDF documents, you can use WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, robust, and built-in PDF reader and editor that bypasses complex Visual C++ dependencies.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Download and install the free WPS Office suite from the official website.
- 2. Access the PDF Tools: Launch WPS Office and click on the 'PDF' tab on the home screen.
- 3. Open Your Document: Click 'Open' and browse your computer to select the PDF file you need to view or edit.
- 4. Start Editing: Use the built-in PDF tools to read, annotate, or convert your document immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'side-by-side configuration is incorrect' mean?
This error means that the application you are trying to open is looking for a specific version of a runtime library (like Microsoft Visual C++) to launch properly, but it cannot find it due to corruption, missing files, or version conflicts.
Will using the Adobe Cleaner Tool delete my saved PDF files?
No. The Adobe Acrobat Cleaner Tool only removes the application files, preferences, and registry keys associated with the software. Your personal PDF documents and data stored on your computer will remain completely untouched.
How do I know if my system needs the x86 or x64 Visual C++ package?
If your Windows operating system is 64-bit, you generally need to install both the x86 (32-bit) and x64 (64-bit) Visual C++ redistributable packages, because many applications still run as 32-bit processes on a 64-bit system.
