Ditch the 2023 User Interface in Acrobat
There are so many shortcomings and problems with the new 2023 GUI interface. Here are just a few:
Swapping left and right-hand panels for no reason. This does not improve anything for users. It just forces users to change everything about how they work in Acrobat every workday.
Functions are indicated by random icons. In the 90s, we learned that icons in software and websites don't work across different populations. Users have a difficult time figuring out what the heck they mean. Give text labels.
The left panel is permanently positioned on the screen and obscures part of the document below. Seriously Adobe, WTF.
The entire menu/panel system can't be customized, moved, or docked. Another WTF.
Hamburger menus (those obscure 3 horizontal lines) are used on mobile interfaces to collapse menus. They are totally unnecessary and inappropriate on desktop interfaces — where working people spend most of their time working. Give people real menus with real names. "Menu" is not accurate, either. What is the name of the other menu to the right? Menu 2? Cheeseburger Menu?
The new interface is inaccessible for those with disabilities who use assistive technologies, especially screen reader users. Adobe has seriously violated its VPAT with governments and corporations worldwide who are required by law to provide accessible work environments and tools.
Grey on Grey is not an accessible color scheme. Can't tell if some icons are active or disabled. Those with low vision can't discern the icons.
Digital signatures, Document Cloud (where Adobe stores your files by default), subscriptions, OCR, file creation, file combining, and accessibility all have reported major problems for the past few years...but rather than fix these critical problems, money was instead spent on rearranging the deck chairs on the sinking Titanic.
As long-time PDF consultants, my firm has found that the majority of customers are professionals who use Acrobat for their jobs. These are not "casual" users working on their smartphones. They are using desktops/laptops with full screens, not mobile devices to do their jobs. And they work with PDFs a lot.
They have developed actions and scripts to automate processes on dozens, hundreds, and even thousands of PDF files every day. These industries include print, prepress, graphic design, accessibility & remediation, accessible forms, variable forms, variable printing, data validation, financial institutions (think of all those bank statements every month!), health care, investment and finance, and manufacturing.
Dramatic GUI changes like 2023's completely change how these automated processes work...if they still work at all.
The cost to these industries to correct the now-broken processes — brought on by Adobe's whimsical, untested design idea — is appalling. If I was a major corporation hit by this unnecessary expense, I'd ban Adobe products from my company and look for another PDF vendor.
There are now many reputable competitors to Adobe Acrobat: See:
— https://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-pdf-editors
— https://www.techradar.com/best/pdf-editors
— https://www.pcworld.com/article/407214/best-pdf-editors.html
Calling this Acrobat's "Modern Viewer" is a form of gaslighting Adobe customers. It's not modern at all — 30 years ago, using icons failed in software and web interfaces, and it's failing again with Acrobat 2023. Sometimes retro isn't good, especially retro user interfaces. Please don't attempt to bring back disco, old-fashioned 20 inch TVs, polyester suits, rotary phones and VHS tapes as being "Modern," too.
Ditch this "Modern Viewer" and instead give us a working tool to get our jobs done.
Revert the interface back to what it was.
Fix Acrobat's bugs. There are so many!
And improve the accessibility for those with disabilities (who can't get to the Comments panel, Bookmarks panel, understand what and how much is redacted, make edits or change the content, scale/enlarge the interface, nor sign a PDF).
For those still reading this, users can revert to the old interface for now (August 2023).
— Windows: Hamburger Menu / Disable New Acrobat
— Mac: View Menu / Disable New Acrobat
I have no idea who long Adobe is going to let us revert to the "real" interface.
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AdminBhawna Arora (Admin, Adobe) commented
Seems like the previous link was not working for few of the folks, updating the link for quick reference.
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Iain McGuirke commented
https://acrobat.uservoice.com/users/6361957072-bhawna-arora
Oh and as others have pointed out your link to a document that can be referred to, regarding the enhancements made, doesn't work either, at least there is consistency there I guess 🤣
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Iain McGuirke commented
@Bhawna Arora:
Seriously your companies repsonse is to try and bury the problem by closing down a thread with constantly growing complaints stating "No further activity or updates" from our end!!!!
Are you blind? from what I see on a daily basis in the form of notifications of updates to this thread, it is growing and Adobe are ignoring it and now looking to bury it.
I have been a user of Adobe products since the beginning and I can hand on heart say that should the feature to revert back to old interface be removed, I will have alternative but to move to a more user focussed software for my work in Graphics, pre press and design.
The complete lack of empathy for your core users is utterly astounding. You'd do well to consider the where the income you receive actually comes from, i.e. industry users, graphics creators, Printers, pre press users all sat on computers, not some kid on his using his mobile phone to look at a file.
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David Peters commented
@Bhawna Arora:
"No further activity or updates" from our end? You mean the hundreds of posts meticulously documenting Adobe's utter failure over the last year in this thread alone? The avalanche of upvotes making this the most visible thread in your entire forum? Are you genuinely so shameless, or are you hoping to gaslight the users who PAY YOUR SALARY into believing they’re the problem? This thread is a monument to your incompetence, and now you want to bulldoze it because acknowledging it might tarnish your spotless record of apathy. You close this thread, and it’s not silence you’re erasing - it’s the proof of how spectacularly you’ve failed the very users keeping your product afloat and paying YOUR BILLS.
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Colin commented
The problem with Acrobat is that there a several use cases for it and Adobe are trying to create one user interface that fits everything and failing at them all.
Professional users (the ones who actually create, and edit PDFs for people to use) are forced to use an interface that is designed for the web plugin PDF reader.
What I/we need is:
A full PDF editing application that is based around standard UI conventions, (much like Adobe Illustrator/InDesign) with a proper toolbar, dockable, collapsible pallettes etc.
You know how to do this Adobe!
This gets away from the absolute mess of an interface that we have now, one that's totally unique to the Creative Suite, is clunky in the extreme and feels like it's not actually created by anyone at Adobe.
Then a PDF reader stand alone app, with a corresponding web plugin, that is only a Reader, allowing forms to be filled in, signed etc.
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Eddie Deighton commented
Also, I don’t understand why you feel this thread needs to be closed. Clearly there is still activity as I receive more notifications from this channel than any others I follow. You’re just trying to hide the negativity and prevent contributors from sharing advice that doesn’t benefit Adobe.
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Eddie Deighton commented
@Bhawna Arora - that link you just supplied isn’t working. It says sign in to a private community but doesn’t explain which one. Not very helpful, is it?
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Argo Ashton commented
The corporate non-response is laughable. The alternate pdf software posts have been way more useful that Adobe's responses and will continue to be.
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AdminBhawna Arora (Admin, Adobe) commented
Hi @Zain,
Be assured, we are listening to continuous user feedback and committed to improvise it, to deliver quality product. We've already made several improvements and adjustments to Acrobat's new interface and corresponding functionality, particularly in areas related to usability, accessibility, and customization. Here’s a document that can be referred to, regarding the enhancements done for the same (link attached) -
Baby Care commented
While Adobe Acrobat remains a popular tool for working with PDFs, Snapseed offers an intriguing alternative for collaborative image editing. While the 2023 Acrobat UI has its drawbacks, alternative tools like <a href="https://snapseedqrcodes.net/">Snapseed QR codes</a> offer innovative approaches to collaboration. By leveraging QR code technology, Snapseed enables a seamless and accessible workflow for collaborative image editing.
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Zain Mahar commented
Your detailed feedback highlights significant issues with Adobe Acrobat’s 2023 user interface. Many of the points you raised, like the non-customizable menus, inaccessible design, and the misplaced focus on aesthetics over functionality, resonate with long-time Acrobat users.
The disruption caused to workflows, particularly for professionals relying on automation and efficient tools, is indeed a serious concern. Accessibility violations are especially troubling, given the legal and ethical responsibilities that software companies must uphold.
While Adobe does allow users to revert to the previous interface temporarily (as you mentioned), it is unclear how long this option will remain. Exploring alternative PDF editors, as you suggested, is a wise consideration for those deeply impacted by these changes.https://telecominput.com/how-to-cancel-vodacom-contract/
Hopefully, Adobe listens to user feedback and prioritizes fixing bugs, restoring critical functionalities, and addressing accessibility issues in future updates. Until then, it seems reverting to the older interface or exploring alternative tools might be the best solution.
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Kevin commented
Just Adobe being Adobe. They have to justify their "research and development" budget some way. Maybe they should focus on FIXING THE EXISTING UI FFS!
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Michael Wong commented
Try having these UI designers using the software to design the software itself...
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Scott Ornat commented
The new gui does not work for me. It makes my workflow harder because the new gui hides everything I need to function. Thankfully I can revert to the classic gui. Please don't make these changes thinking it makes things easier. It doesn't. Don't mess with what works.
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John Herzog commented
Technically it is in the new interface. It is now called Use guided actions.
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Perkins commented
As the onsite Xerox support at Health Corporation of America (HCA), which is the world's largest for profit health care corporation, I support HCA print end users, and all their network Xerox devices. I'm seeing user's struggle with the new interface. I have users whom use the Action Wizard for batch printing documents, by the thousands. as you know
the Action Wizard isn't available in the New View, I'm having to show users how to disable to Classic View. I've also had users not be able to print from New View, then disable New View, and are able to print. -
Alex Rooney commented
I am not a fan of the new interface. It may be good for some people/mobile users but I needed to revert to the older interface to have more functionality. I only use acrobat on computer and I think the old interface is one of the softwares I use at work that I really love and have almost zero complaints about.
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Mims commented
Acrobat Ai pro help is there to annoy the life off you. You can't find anywhere the version of acrobat you have, you try your best to keep a straight face and not throw the PC out the window. Ridiculous. On top of that it upadated on it's own without even asking. Garbage. They are going down the slope very fast
My patience is very limited and close to zero -
Mims commented
this version of adobe is real ****. If you want to export files to JPEG, with the same setting you get different outcomes every single time. Either it exports each picture on the design or separate as it pleases. I don't have time to fuff about, paying loads of money for this. It's not worth it. Either that gets fixed or I'm switching back to corel. I had enough
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Michael Wong commented
I don't like all these popups. Annoying and interrupting the flow. Seems like many applications are like this nowadays.