How to restore PDF preview in Windows File Explorer

Restoring PDF Preview in Windows Explorer After Uninstalling Adobe Acrobat

After uninstalling Adobe Acrobat, the built-in PDF preview functionality in Windows Explorer can be restored through several methods: checking Adobe Reader settings, editing the registry, installing alternative PDF viewers, or repairing system files. The most effective solutions are typically checking program settings and fixing registry entries responsible for thumbnail and preview display.

Table of Contents

• Causes of PDF Preview Issue
• Main Methods to Restore Preview
• Checking Adobe Acrobat/Reader Settings
• Editing Windows Registry
• Using Alternative PDF Viewers
• System File Repair
• Thumbnail Cache Cleanup
• Step-by-Step Recovery Guide

Causes of PDF Preview Issue

The main reasons why built-in PDF preview stops working after uninstalling Adobe Acrobat include:

• Registry damage - uninstalling Adobe may leave broken references in the Windows registry
• Disabled preview settings - some settings in Adobe may have been modified
• Missing preview handler - the system may lose connection to the component responsible for displaying PDF in the preview pane
• Thumbnail cache corruption - old or damaged thumbnails may interfere with normal display

As noted by IT trip, when reinstalling applications, registry keys responsible for PDF preview are usually restored or updated, which can fix broken links.

Main Methods to Restore Preview

There are several effective ways to restore PDF preview functionality in Windows Explorer:

1. Checking and configuring Adobe Acrobat/Reader - includes enabling preview options
2. Editing the registry - fixing or creating necessary entries for the preview handler
3. Installing alternative PDF viewers - such as Foxit Reader or PDF24
4. System file repair - using system utilities to fix damage
5. Thumbnail cache cleanup - removing old previews to refresh display

Each of these methods has its advantages and can be applied depending on the specific situation and causes of the problem.

Checking Adobe Acrobat/Reader Settings

The first step in restoring PDF preview should be to check Adobe Acrobat or Reader settings:

1. Open Adobe Acrobat/Reader
2. Go to Edit → Preferences → General
3. Make sure the “Enable PDF Preview in Windows Explorer” checkbox is selected
4. Also check the “Enable PDF thumbnail preview in Windows Explorer” option

Important: If you don’t see the “Enable PDF Preview in Windows Explorer” checkbox as mentioned in Adobe documentation, update Acrobat or Acrobat Reader to the latest version.

After making changes, restart Windows Explorer for them to take effect. This method often resolves the issue, especially if Adobe Acrobat was installed incorrectly or settings were accidentally changed.

Editing Windows Registry

If checking Adobe settings didn’t help, you need to edit the Windows registry. To do this:

1. Press Win + R, type regedit and press Enter
2. Navigate to the path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}
3. Make sure the necessary keys exist in this section

If the keys are missing or damaged, you can create a .reg file with the following content:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}]
@="PDF Preview Handler"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}\InprocServer32]
@="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Adobe\\Acrobat Reader DC\\Reader\\pdfpreview.dll"
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}\Instance\InitPropertyBag]
"method"="Preview"
"command"="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Adobe\\Acrobat Reader DC\\Reader\\acrord32.exe\" /p \"%1\""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.pdf\PersistentHandler]
@={DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}

Save the file with a .reg extension and run it as an administrator. As noted in Microsoft Community, Explorer Preview requires the PrePreviewHandler registry entry to function properly.

Using Alternative PDF Viewers

If the built-in Adobe handler isn’t working, you can install alternative PDF viewers with preview support in Explorer:

Foxit Reader

1. Download and install Foxit Reader
2. During installation, select the “Use Foxit as default PDF viewer” option
3. After installation, Foxit will automatically register the preview handler

PDF24 Creator

1. Download PDF24 Creator
2. Install the program, selecting options for Explorer integration
3. PDF24 creates its own preview handler that replaces Adobe

As pointed out by NIBBL, by installing one of these applications and setting it as default, you may restore file preview in Explorer.

System File Repair

If the issue is related to damaged Windows system files, you can use built-in repair utilities:

1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator
2. Run the command:
   sfc /scannow
   

3. Wait for the scan and repair to complete
4. After that, run:
   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
   

5. Restart your computer

As recommended by Microsoft Q&A, these commands can restore damaged system files needed for PDF preview functionality.

Thumbnail Cache Cleanup

Sometimes the issue lies in a corrupted thumbnail cache:

1. Open Start → Control Panel → System and Security → Disk Cleanup
2. Select the system drive (usually C:)
3. In the window that opens, check “Thumbnails” and “Temporary files”
4. Click “Clean up”
5. Restart your computer

As explained by komputer03.ru, if you disabled PDF thumbnails, existing PDF files may continue to display preview thumbnails from the cache. The thumbnail cache needs to be cleared using Disk Cleanup.

Step-by-Step Recovery Guide

Comprehensive approach to solving the problem:

1. Check Adobe Acrobat/Reader settings

   • Open Adobe Reader
   • Go to Edit → Preferences → General
   • Enable PDF preview options

2. Clean thumbnail cache

   • Use Disk Cleanup to remove old thumbnails

3. Repair system files

   • Run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

4. Fix the registry

   • Create a .reg file with necessary keys for the PDF handler

5. Install an alternative viewer

   • If nothing helped, install Foxit Reader or PDF24

6. Restart Explorer

   • Close Explorer through Task Manager and reopen it

Tip: Start with the simplest methods (clearing cache, checking Adobe settings) and move to more complex ones (editing registry, installing alternative programs) only if previous steps didn’t yield results.

Conclusion

Restoring built-in PDF preview in Windows Explorer after uninstalling Adobe Acrobat requires a systematic approach. The main solutions are:

1. Checking Adobe settings - ensure that preview options are enabled in the program settings
2. Clearing thumbnail cache - remove old previews via Disk Cleanup
3. Fixing the registry - create necessary keys for the PDF handler
4. Installing alternative programs - Foxit Reader or PDF24 can replace Adobe
5. Repairing system files - use sfc and DISM to fix damage

To prevent similar issues in the future, it’s recommended to uninstall Adobe Acrobat through standard uninstallation programs and always check registry settings after uninstalling file-processing programs. If none of the methods work, you may need to reinstall Windows or use more modern alternatives for working with PDF files.

Sources

1. Fix PDF thumbnail and preview not showing in Explorer
2. How to configure PDF thumbnail preview in Windows Explorer - Microsoft Q&A
3. PDF thumbnail preview feature in Windows Explorer - Adobe Help
4. Enable PDF preview in Windows Explorer | ichip.ru
5. How to enable PDF file preview on Windows 10? — Yandex Q
6. Error - Cannot preview this file due to an error in PDF Preview Handler — NIBBL
7. How to enable PDF file preview. Windows 10? | Mail.ru Answers
8. How to Fix the PDF Preview Handler Error in Windows 10 | IT trip
9. Fixed: PDF Preview Handler Not Working
10. Unable to preview documents in Explorer preview pane using Adobe reader - Microsoft Q&A