Fix PDF Links Not Opening in Internet Explorer After Using Acrobat
Question details
User is unable to open PDF links from an intranet site in Internet Explorer after viewing a local PDF file in Adobe Acrobat.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat and Internet Explorer
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Accessing PDF links on a company intranet via Internet Explorer while simultaneously opening local PDFs in the Acrobat desktop app.
- Observed behavior
- PDF links in the browser become unresponsive and fail to load, requiring a complete computer restart to restore functionality.
Save any pending work in Internet Explorer and close your local Adobe Acrobat documents, as you will need to restart your browser to apply changes to your add-on settings.
Disable Adobe PDF Add-ons in Internet Explorer
Disabling the Acrobat browser add-on prevents background process conflicts between locally opened PDFs and browser-based intranet links.
When Internet Explorer uses the Adobe add-on to render a PDF in the browser, it shares background processes with the standalone Acrobat application. Opening a local file can lock this process, causing subsequent browser links to freeze.
Launch Internet Explorer, click on the Tools menu (gear icon) in the upper-right corner, and select 'Manage add-ons' from the dropdown list.
In the left pane of the Manage Add-ons window, click on 'Toolbars and Extensions'. Under the 'Show' dropdown menu, select 'All add-ons' to ensure everything is visible.
Scroll through the list to locate 'Adobe PDF Reader' or 'Adobe Acrobat'. Click on the add-on to highlight it, then click the 'Disable' button at the bottom right corner of the window.
Close the Manage Add-ons window and exit Internet Explorer completely. Reopen the browser and test your intranet PDF links to confirm they now prompt a download or open without freezing.
Open and Manage PDFs Without Browser Conflicts Using WPS Office
WPS Office features a robust, built-in PDF reader that handles both local files and downloaded intranet PDFs flawlessly. Skip the browser add-on crashes and enjoy a smooth reading experience in a lightweight, stable application.
- 1. Install WPS Office: Download and install the free WPS Office suite on your computer.
- 2. Set as Default PDF Viewer: During installation or in your Windows default app settings, set WPS PDF as your default program for viewing PDF files.
- 3. Download Intranet PDFs: Click on your intranet PDF links in your browser to download them directly to your system rather than opening them in a browser tab.
- 4. Open Without Freezing: Double-click the downloaded file to open it instantly in WPS Office, allowing you to read local and downloaded PDFs side-by-side without performance drops.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does opening a local PDF freeze my browser links?
This happens because the Adobe Acrobat browser add-on shares background rendering processes with the standalone Acrobat desktop application. Opening a local file can lock this shared process, preventing the browser extension from loading new web links.
Do I need the Adobe add-on enabled to view PDFs from my intranet?
Not necessarily. Disabling the browser add-on forces Internet Explorer to prompt you to download the PDF file instead of opening it in the browser window. You can then open the downloaded file safely using any desktop PDF reader.
Will restarting Internet Explorer fix the unresponsive links without a computer reboot?
Sometimes closing all Internet Explorer windows is not enough because the hidden Acrobat background processes remain active. You can try opening the Windows Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), terminating any 'Acrobat.exe' or 'AcroRd32.exe' processes, and then reopening your browser as an alternative to a full system restart.
