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 standsalone 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

After installing the Acrobat unified installer on a new machine, you need to add a key to make sure Acrobat works properly. This key allows Acrobat to function as either Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat, depending on the user license. If you only want to use it as Adobe Reader, you don’t need to sign in.

Registry key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureLockDown:“bIsSCReducedModeEnforcedEx”=dword:00000001

Also, note the following changes if you’re doing a new deployment:

  • 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 and we suggest using the command lines to intall them: preflight, 3D plugin, XPS2PDF, multimedia plugin, Autocad PDFM

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

  1. Verify you’re adhering to the Product compatiblity upgrade matrix.

  2. Run the following:

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

  1. Peform the config.

Optional components for 64-bit installs

  1. Verify you’re adhering to the Product compatiblity upgrade matrix.

  2. 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

  1. Peform the config.

Install all components for 64-bit installs

  1. Verify you’re adhering to the Product compatiblity upgrade matrix.

  2. Run the following:

Setup.exe /sAll /msi ADDLOCAL=ALL

  1. Peform the config.

64-bit Reader over any 32-bit app

Note that a standalone 64-bit Reader is available.

  1. Verify you’re adhering to the Product compatiblity upgrade matrix.

  2. Run the following:

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

  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.