'%3e%3cpath%20d='M8%200C12.4183%200%2016%203.58172%2016%208C16%2012.4183%2012.4183%2016%208%2016C3.58172%2016%200%2012.4183%200%208C0%203.58172%203.58172%200%208%200ZM11.6162%204.38379C11.2257%203.99337%2010.5927%203.99338%2010.2021%204.38379L8%206.58594L5.79785%204.38379C5.40732%203.99334%204.77429%203.99329%204.38379%204.38379C3.99331%204.77429%203.99335%205.40733%204.38379%205.79785L6.58594%208L4.38379%2010.2021C3.99348%2010.5927%203.99341%2011.2257%204.38379%2011.6162C4.77426%2012.0066%205.40734%2012.0065%205.79785%2011.6162L8%209.41406L10.2021%2011.6162C10.5927%2012.0066%2011.2257%2012.0067%2011.6162%2011.6162C12.0067%2011.2257%2012.0066%2010.5927%2011.6162%2010.2021L9.41406%208L11.6162%205.79785C12.0066%205.40735%2012.0066%204.77429%2011.6162%204.38379Z'%20fill='%23080E17'%20fill-opacity='0.46'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_3761_713'%3e%3crect%20width='16'%20height='16'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
How to Fix Android Navigation Buttons Visible in Acrobat Reader
Question details
Users are unable to hide the Android system navigation buttons when tapping the center of a PDF page in Adobe Acrobat Reader, which prevents a fully immersive full-screen reading experience.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Device & OS
- Android (Affects Android 7.0 or earlier on specific devices)
- Scenario
- Reading a PDF document on an Android mobile device.
- Observed behavior
- The system navigation buttons remain visible on the screen instead of auto-hiding during reading mode after a recent app update.
Verify your device's Android OS version and your current Adobe Acrobat Reader app version, as this specific full-screen bug frequently targets older operating systems like Android 7.0.
Downgrade to an Older Version of Acrobat Reader
Since the auto-hide issue was introduced in a newer update, reverting to a previous APK version restores the immersive reading mode functionality.
This workaround requires you to uninstall the currently updated app and manually install a previous version. Proceed with caution and only use trusted APK repositories to avoid security risks.
Navigate to your Android device's Settings, select Apps, find Adobe Acrobat Reader, and tap Uninstall.
Go to Settings > Security (or Biometrics and Security) and enable the option to 'Install unknown apps' for your mobile browser.
Use your mobile browser to search a trusted site like APKMirror for an Adobe Acrobat Reader release from 2017 or earlier, before the bug was introduced, and download it.
Open your device's File Manager, locate the downloaded APK in the Downloads folder, tap on it, and select Install.
Submit a Bug Report to Adobe
Alerting the developers officially helps them investigate and issue a patch for devices experiencing this navigation bar bug.
Use WPS Office for an Immersive PDF Reading Experience on Android
Avoid frustrating UI bugs by switching to WPS Office. The WPS Android app includes a dedicated mobile reading mode that perfectly auto-hides system navigation bars for a true full-screen PDF experience.
- 1. Install the app: Download and install WPS Office for free from the Google Play Store on your Android device.
- 2. Open your PDF: Launch the WPS Office app, tap on 'Files' or 'Document Manager', and select the PDF file you wish to read.
- 3. Activate Mobile View: Tap the 'Mobile View' icon at the bottom of the screen to adapt the PDF text to your screen size for comfortable reading.
- 4. Enter immersive mode: Lightly tap the center of your screen once. The top toolbars and bottom system navigation buttons will auto-hide immediately, giving you an immersive full-screen view.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do navigation buttons stay visible on my Nexus 6 but not my Samsung S8?
This UI bug is often linked to how older, stock Android versions (like Android 7.0 on the Nexus 6) interact with Adobe's updated app code. Newer devices or heavily customized OS versions like Samsung's One UI often override the app's behavior, allowing the buttons to hide successfully.
Is it safe to install an older APK version of Acrobat Reader?
Installing older APKs carries security risks if they are downloaded from untrusted sources. Always use well-known, reputable APK mirror sites and ensure your device's built-in security software, like Google Play Protect, is active.
Does clearing the app cache fix the navigation button issue?
Usually, no. This is a known compatibility bug introduced in the app's update rather than a corrupted cache issue. To resolve it, you must either roll back the app to a previous version or switch to a compatible alternative PDF reader.
