Updating Adobe Reader
Adobe Reader files and components can be updated in a variety of ways. Some updates
are available if you open an Adobe PDF document that triggers the updating process. For
example, if you open a form that uses Asian-language fonts, Adobe Reader asks if you
want to download the fonts. Other updates are available only from the Help menu, where
you must manually install them. Some updates are available using either method.
You can also use the Updates panel in the Preferences dialog box to determine how to
handle updates. Adobe Reader can automatically check for critical updates and
notifications once a month. Depending on your preference settings, Adobe Reader can
download updates in the background when other web transactions, such as email, are
inactive. In Windows, you can minimize the download dialog box to a status bar icon.
When all the components have been downloaded, a Summary Install Now dialog box lets
you choose which updates to install.
To set updating preference options:
1. Choose Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Adobe Reader > Preferences (Mac OS), and
then select Updates on the left side of the dialog box.
2. Select an option to determine how to handle updates. If you select Do Not Automatically
Check For Critical Updates, you should periodically check for updates manually by
choosing Help > Check For Updates Now.
3. Click View Notifications to preview any notifications before deciding whether to update.
Click OK to close the dialog box.
4. Click Installed Updates to view the names and descriptions of installed updates. If several
versions of an update have been installed, only the latest version appears in the Installed
Updates dialog box.
5. Deselect Display Notification Dialog At Startup if you don't want to be advised about
available updates when you start Adobe Reader.
6. Deselect Display Installation Complete Dialog if you don't want to be advised when
updates are successfully installed.
To manually update components:
1. Choose Help > Check For Updates Now.
2. Select updates from the column on the left, and click Add or Reinstall to move them to the
column on the right. Only the updates and components appropriate for your platform and
product are listed.
3. Click Update.