Uninstall Adobe Reader

Adobe Reader is a popular PDF viewer, but you may want to uninstall it if you no longer need it or prefer alternative PDF software. Here are several methods to completely remove Adobe Reader from your Windows computer.

Method 1: Uninstall Through Windows Settings

This is the standard method for removing most programs in Windows:

1. Open the Start Menu and click the Settings (gear) icon
2. Select Apps (or “Apps & features” in some Windows versions)
3. Scroll through the list of installed apps and locate Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (or your specific version)
4. Click on the Adobe Reader entry and select Uninstall
5. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation
6. Restart your computer when finished

Method 2: Use Adobe’s Cleaner Tool

Adobe provides a dedicated cleanup utility for problematic uninstallations:

1. Download the Adobe Reader Cleaner Tool from Adobe’s official website
2. Close all Adobe programs before running the tool
3. Right-click the downloaded file and select Run as administrator
4. Accept the license agreement when prompted
5. Select Adobe Acrobat Reader DC from the list of products
6. Click Clean to begin the removal process
7. Restart your computer after completion

Method 3: Manual Uninstallation (Advanced)

For a more thorough removal, you can manually delete remaining files:

1. First, uninstall Adobe Reader using Method 1 or 2
2. Press Windows Key + R, type %appdata% and press Enter
3. Locate and delete any Adobe or Acrobat folders
4. Repeat step 2 but use %programdata% instead
5. Delete any remaining Adobe folders here
6. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\ and C:\Program Files\
7. Delete any Adobe folders you find
8. Empty your Recycle Bin and restart your computer

Method 4: Use Perfect Uninstaller (Recommended for Complete Removal)

For the most thorough uninstallation that removes all traces of Adobe Reader, we recommend using Perfect Uninstaller, a professional uninstallation tool.

Steps to uninstall Adobe Reader with Perfect Uninstaller:

1. Download Perfect Uninstaller from the official website
2. Install and launch the program (run as administrator for best results)
3. From the program list, locate Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
4. Click the Uninstall button
5. Perfect Uninstaller will first run the standard uninstaller
6. After the standard uninstall completes, Perfect Uninstaller will scan for leftover files, folders, and registry entries
7. Review the found remnants and click Complete Uninstall to remove them all
8. Restart your computer to finalize the process

Perfect Uninstaller is particularly useful because:

• It removes stubborn programs that won’t uninstall normally
• It cleans registry entries that other methods miss
• It deletes leftover files and folders
• It can force uninstall corrupted installations

After uninstalling Adobe Reader, you might want to consider alternative PDF readers like SumatraPDF, Foxit Reader, or Microsoft Edge’s built-in PDF viewer, depending on your needs.