Adobe Acrobat Reader no longer starts for many users

Adobe released an update for Acrobat Reader on December 2, 2025, which is causing significant problems for numerous users. As reports in various online forums like Reddit show, version 25.001.20982 can no longer be started on many systems.

Both individual users and companies that have set up the software via distribution tools like PDQ Connect are affected. The most common error message is "Acrobat failed to load its Core DLL". In other cases, the application becomes unresponsive immediately after startup, and the user has to end it via the Task Manager.

IT administrators report that neither reinstallation nor repair of the software provides a solution. Even using Adobe's own cleanup tools leads to the same errors after a new installation. As further user reports on Reddit indicate, the problem occurs regardless of the installation method.

Users are discussing various workarounds in the community. One approach is to reinstall or repair the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable (x86). However, according to some users, this solution does not work on all affected systems. The most reliable method currently remains reverting to the previous version.

Particularly problematic for corporate environments

The situation presents a particular challenge for companies. In many organizations, Adobe Acrobat Reader is ubiquitous, especially when editing PDF forms created with Adobe LiveCycle Designer. These documents can only be processed correctly with Adobe products, making a switch to alternatives not an option in the short term.

The automatic distribution of the faulty update via central software management tools like PDQ Connect has suddenly multiplied the problem in many environments. Consequently, IT departments have to withdraw the update and reinstall the previous version.

Adobe remains silent on the issues so far

There has been no official statement from Adobe regarding the issues yet. In the official announcement of the update on December 2nd, Adobe only mentions new features and general bug fixes without pointing out critical errors. The listed corrections mainly concern crashes when editing PDFs and technical detail issues, but not the now widespread Core DLL error message.

It remains unclear whether the issues are related to specific system configurations or Windows versions. The reports suggest that the update causes errors on both current Windows 11 systems and Windows 10 installations. A connection to security updates or specific PDF files cannot be deduced from the available information.

For users seeking alternatives, a look at open-source software might be interesting. The project Stirling PDF recently presented a comprehensive update with version 2.0, which offers native desktop applications and extended features. However, even this software is not a full alternative for special Adobe forms.

(fo)