64-bit Unified App Installer¶

To streamline installs and simplify app management for large enterprise, Adobe now delivers a 64-bit Acrobat and Reader all-language (MUI) unified installer. Adobe’s single-app initiative provides both Acrobat and Reader functionality via a single installer, a common default install location, and a common executable and registry hive.

Key benefits¶

A single default install path that simplifies product deployment and management: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC
64-bit Acrobat supports both The easy-to-manage Named User Licensing & FRL activation methods.
Available features are determined by the licensing/activation credential rather than installing two different products. Users with Acrobat rights get those features on sign-in. Other users get Reader.
Two app installs are no longer required.
Automatic and managed updates workflows continue unchanged.

Unsupported features¶

Serial number activation.
32-bit Reader must be uninstalled.
Third party plugins are not supported in Acrobat reduced mode (Running as Reader rather than Acrobat).
Shared Device Licensing. While 64-bit Acrobat standalone supports SDL, the unified installer does not.
Converting files from:
- AutoCAD files using the ODA library.
- Visio files from Acrobat’s context menu.
- Project files from Acrobat’s context menu.
- XPS files to PDF.
- EMF files to PDF.
Support for Lotus notes as the default email client in SendMail.
64-bit Reader and 64-bit Acrobat separate installs on the same machine.

Installing on a clean machine¶

For new deployments on a machine without a previous install, there are minor changes:

As described in the supported configurations table below, the coexistence matrix is different for 64-bit apps.
In 64-bit Acrobat, the following optional tools are not installed by default.
- Optional tools: preflight, 3D plugin, XPS2PDF, multimedia plugin, Autocad PDFM
- Users can use the command lines to install optional components.

Installing over existing products¶

Auto-update mode¶

For installed applications with automatic updates enabled, the following is true:

32-bit Continuous track Reader updates to the 64-bit unified installer.
Reader uses will be automatically upgraded to Acrobat if they are signed-in with a paid credential.
Classic track does not automatically upgrade to the 64-bit unified installer.

64-bit Acrobat over 32-bit Acrobat/Reader¶

Verify you’re adhering to the Product compatiblity upgrade matrix.
Run the following:

Setup.exe /sAll /slf /re /msi DISABLE_FIU_CHECK=1 TRANSITION_INSTALL_MODE=3

Peform the config.

Optional components for 64-bit installs¶

Verify you’re adhering to the Product compatiblity upgrade matrix.
Run the following:

Setup.exe /sAll /msi ADDLOCAL=OptionalFeatures,DistillerCJKNative,DistillerCJKSupport,PaperCaptureOptional,
PreFlightPlugin DISABLE_FIU_CHECK=1 TRANSITION_INSTALL_MODE=4 SKIP_WEBRCS_REINSTALL=1 SKIP_CEF_KILL=1

Peform the config.

Install all components for 64-bit installs¶

Verify you’re adhering to the Product compatiblity upgrade matrix.
Run the following:

Setup.exe /sAll /msi ADDLOCAL=ALL

Peform the config.

64-bit Reader over any 32-bit app¶

Note that a standalone 64-bit Reader is available.

Verify you’re adhering to the Product compatiblity upgrade matrix.
Run the following:

Setup.exe /sAll /re /msi DISABLE_FIU_CHECK=1

Peform the config.

Product compatiblity upgrade matrix¶

The following tables describes what action you must take during an upgrade given an existing install.

Installation via Setup.exe (Installer screens visible)¶

If the existing install is:	License type	And your installing: 64-bit Standalone Reader	Or your installing: 64-bit unified Acrobat/Reader
32-bit Acrobat Continuous track	Serial `1`	Uninstall the existing app	Uninstall the existing app
32-bit Acrobat Continuous track	NUL & FRL	Uninstall the existing app	Install 64-bit Acrobat over the existing app
Acrobat 10/11/2015/2017/2020 Classic track	Serial & NUL	Install the new app. These apps can coexist.	Install the new app. These apps can coexist when the install is not silent. `2`
Acrobat 9 and below	Serial	Uninstall the existing app and install Reader	Uninstall the existing app and the unified installer
32-bit Reader all versions and tracks `3`	Any	Uninstall the existing app and install Reader	Uninstall the existing app and the unified installer
64-bit Reader Continuous	N/A	Installing a new app triggers a repair action.	Install 64-bit Acrobat over the existing app. Reader upgrades to Acrobat.
64-bit Acrobat Continuous	NUL	Uninstall the existing app	Installing a new app triggers a repair action.

1: If the license type cannot be determined, the install is automatically blocked.
2: The install must be in “UI mode”. The user must choose to continue.
3: If the 32-bit Reader version is higher than the 64-bit installer version, the install is blocked.

Command line installs (silent mode)¶

If the existing install is:	License type	And your installing: 64-bit Standalone Reader	Or your installing: 64-bit unified Acrobat/Reader
32-bit Acrobat Continuous track	Any	Uninstall the existing app	Install the new app. The existing app is automatically removed.
Acrobat 10/11/2015/2017/2020 Classic track	Any	Install the new app. These apps can coexist.	Install the new app. The existing app is automatically removed.
Acrobat 9 and below	Serial	Install the new app. The existing app is automatically removed.	Install the new app. The existing app is automatically removed.
32-bit Reader all versions and tracks `1`	Any	Install the new app. The existing app is automatically removed.	Install the new app. The existing app is automatically removed.
64-bit Reader Continuous	N/A	Installing a new app triggers a repair action.	Install 64-bit Acrobat over the existing app. Reader upgrades to Acrobat.
64-bit Acrobat Continuous	NUL	Uninstall the existing app	Installing a new app triggers a repair action.

1: If the 32-bit Reader version is higher than the 64-bit installer version, the install is blocked.

Registry setting to enable reduced mode¶

The registry key to enable reduced mode for Acrobat 64-bit is:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureLockDown:"bIsSCReducedModeEnforcedEx"=dword:0000001