How to Close Adobe Reader

Quickly close the Adobe Reader application.

Created by Adobe Systems, Adobe Reader is a viewing program that allows users to open and print the contents of files distributed in the Portable Document Format (PDF). In most situations, closing Adobe Reader after viewing a PDF file is a quick task involving standard menu items and a few mouse clicks. However, if you experience problems while attempting to shut down the program, manually force it to close using the Windows Task Manager utility.

Instructions

Using Adobe Reader

1. Bring up the open Adobe Reader application.

2. Click "File" in the top menu bar.

3. Select "Exit."

Using the Windows Task Manager

1. Click the Windows "Start" button and select "Run."

2. Type "taskmgr" (without quotation marks) in the "Open" field and click "OK" to open the Windows Task Manager.

3. Select the tab labeled "Processes."

4. Single-click the item labeled "AcroRd32.exe," located under the "Image Name" column.

5. Click the "End Process" button.

References

• Adobe Support: Acrobat.exe or Acrord32.exe does not quit when you close the browser window (Acrobat on Windows)
• Cornelius Van Dyk: Task Manager screen image