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Acrobat for Windows and Mac: User Interface

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Option to Hide Bookmarks Panel for all PDFs

Using: Acrobat Pro DC

Request: Ability to set a global setting that hides the bookmarks panel whenever a new PDF is opened, as opposed to having to navigate to the initial view settings for each file and then save it.

Reason: I open a lot of PDF files from emails, as I'm sure thousands of other people do, with no intention of saving it in that instance. Or files from the internet, again with no intention of saving it. This is to VIEW the file and find content relevant to the task in hand. Having the bookmarks panel occupy a third of the program window reduces the visibility and scale of the actual file.

This would seem to be basic user experience to me. Not everyone uses bookmarks either. It should be a preference setting available as standard - forcing the user to focus on a feature they don't even use and interrupting basic workflow is ridiculous design philosophy.

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  • SDK/TPA commented  ·   ·  Report

    And I thought it was just me! This setting should be a "no-brainer"... Please modify!

  • Justin B commented  ·   ·  Report

    Having this option in the user Preferences of the program is a no-brainer. I do not have Administrator access to edit the Registry, and such a workaround should not be necessary. Please implement this in the next release, or sooner.

  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Report

    I just moved from preview to acrobat reader to avoid certain problem and now I face this...

  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Report

    Really really appreciating those replies. I could have committed suicide due to those stupid panes!

  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Report

    thank you for posting this ive been fighting with this for a long time now.

  • Jim commented  ·   ·  Report

    It is absolutely INFURIATING that in 2020 I have to go to the registry to disable those useless tabs that take up space! I work with 100s of PDF docs every month and it really does breed hate every time I have to close a bunch of useless panels just to view a file. That's adobe for you...

    You think layers/bookmarks panel is bad and takes up 1/3 of the screen? But wait - acrobat also reads CAD file contents as "comments", so it opens ANOTHER panel for a grand total of 2/3 of your screen...every...time...

    The registry hack works, by the way. Shame it's not an actual option, but we can't ask that much of adobe... It would be something competent done for once and we can't have THAT!

  • McNEil commented  ·   ·  Report

    @Anon 8 July 2020

    you have to apply the regedit to the acrobat pro rather than to the reader. Follow JACK's intstructions but apply here:

    Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Acrobat.Document.DC\shell\Open\command

    My work computer has the registry locked so I still can't fix it.

  • Mush commented  ·   ·  Report

    I just tried Jack's method and it worked a treat. Thanks Jack. :)
    It is crazy that this isnt the default...
    It does require you having persmission to change the Registry, which may not be an option for some on work computers...
    .................................

    For anyone finding this now, this works for me:
    go to cmd regedit (don't forget to backup the current registry)

    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AcroExch.Document.DC\shell\Read\command
    I changed (Default) from:

    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" "%1"
    to:

    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" /A "navpanes=0" "%1

    ............

  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Report

    Agreed. I've spent the last hour looking for some way to turn this stupid thing off. I process just shy of 100 bills each month. 90% of those come in as PDF files and nearly all of them are single pages. Why does a single page need bookmarks? I open each file once and copy the relevant information into the AP system then close the file. I have to close this bookmark bar every time I open a PDF so I can read the bill.

  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Report

    The constant annoyance I have with Acrobat Pro DC where no matter what I do, I have to constantly click the minimise on the left bookmarks bar for every single pdf I print from Autocad so I can view the file maximised.
    Being I have 20 to 40 drawings I open every day it drives me nuts...Completely hate loathe it.
    There are tons of users with the same issue online and it seems Adobe only care about their subscription being paid.. They won’t provide a fix. Annoyed that I had no choice but to use this ****** PDF creator. "I've used better."
    Personally will never ever recommend this program to anyone.
    The registry fixes provided don’t work.

  • JACK commented  ·   ·  Report

    For anyone finding this now, this works for me:
    go to cmd regedit (don't forget to backup the current registry)

    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AcroExch.Document.DC\shell\Read\command
    I changed (Default) from:

    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" "%1"
    to:

    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" /A "navpanes=0" "%1

  • Z commented  ·   ·  Report

    Disappointing that Adobe Adobe has not responded. I still have issues with this.

  • NONE commented  ·   ·  Report

    Also would like to see this changed. for a paid program this is completely unacceptable for a user interface setting like this to be default. It appears that the option to turn it off in preferences is broken. Please fix before i cancel my subscription.

  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Report

    Yes, this is a huge issue in the engineering world. Everything has the bookmarks open and I cannot open every print/file to close the bookmark tab. I have at least set it to be as skinny as possible so it stays at that width when exiting (about an inch - it isn't as annoying), but it would be so much better to not be on at all.

  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Report

    I've gone in and changed the initial view AND tried 'unpinning' the bookmarks - this still only works on the one document at a time.
    Please fix this, it is a huge time waster and ridiculous default to have.

  • Ravi Gupta commented  ·   ·  Report

    If you have PDF with setting initial view as "Bookmarks Panel and Page" that might be the reason for having bookmark shown every time document is launched.You would have to change this setting.
    Also, we have an option to "Restore last view settings" , this would restore the settings of last view. In case where we have both these set -up then preference to restore last view settings takes the priority.
    See the attached snapshots.
    You can use CTRL/CMD+K for preference dialog and CTRL/CMD+D for document properties.

  • Sara commented  ·   ·  Report

    I agree!!! It is a pain in the butt. Adobe please make an option to hide this on opening. I'm in architecture and construction and have to open large plan sets in which each page is individual, having to close the Navigation Pane every single time I open a page is a PAIN.

  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Report

    Ravi Gupta gives an answer about unpinning bookmarks which I just tried. It is NOT universal, which is the point of this request. It only works for the document you are in. the next one opens with the bookmarks again!

  • Megan B commented  ·   ·  Report

    I hear you Simon. It is pain to close bookmark every single time! I want a global setting to unpin that silly bookmark pane >O<

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