How to Fix Acrotray Has Stopped Working

If you are currently facing an error known as AcroTRay.exe has stopped working, you must be wondering how to fix the issue. Take a long breath and keep calm as there are some methods that you can try to fix this kind of issue.

In order to fix the issues related to this error AcroTRay.exe has stopped working, you can try to use the Adobe patches. This method was suggested by a staff at the Adobe forum. Please install the new Acrobat Reader DC patches as soon as possible. Here is the table of some Acrobat DC and Acrobat Reader DC Continuous Track release notes:

DateRelease NotesRelease TypeFocus
09/24/2020DC Sep 2020 (20.012.20048)Optional UpdateNewest Release: This one fixes specific functionality problems.
08/19/2020DC Aug 2020 (20.012.20043)Optional UpdateThis one fixes specific functionality problems.
08/11/2020DC Aug 2020 (20.012.20041)ContinuousThis one provides new features, feature enhancements, bug fixes, and security mitigations.
07/06/2020DC May 2020 (20.009.20074)Optional UpdateThis one fixes specific functionality problems.
06/02/2020DC May 2020 (20.009.20067)Optional UpdateThis one fixes specific functionality problems.
05/12/2020DC May 2020 (20.009.20065)Optional UpdateThis one fixes specific functionality problems.
05/12/2020DC May 2020 (20.009.20063)ContinuousThis one provides new features, feature enhancements, bug fixes, and security mitigations.
03/17/2020DC Mar 2020 (20.006.20042)ContinuousThis one provides security mitigations and big fixes.
02/11/2020DC Feb 2020 (20.006.20034)ContinuousThis one provides security mitigations and big fixes.
12/19/2019DC Dec 2019 (19.021.20061)Optional UpdateThis one fixes specific functionality problems.
12/10/2019DC Dec 2019 (19.021.20058)ContinuousThis one provides new features, feature enhancements, bug fixes, and security mitigations.

If you want to see the full patch of AcroTray, you can just visit the official website of Adobe or by clicking on here https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/release-note/release-notes-acrobat-reader.html.

AcroTray is known as an Adobe Acrobat Distiller helper application. This one is a really important file of the Adobe Acrobat product with the responsibility to convert documents to the portable document format or PDF.

Just because the program ends with .exe, does not mean it has to be a virus. The term .exe means that it is an executable file. On the other words, the file has step by step instructions that a computer follows to execute a process such as printing a file. In this case, the function of it is to convert the files to PDF.

Each application in your computer, including Adobe Acrobat Reader, uses the executable files to perform some different functions. Actually, AcroTray.exe may not be really safe, there is a possibility of it being a malware pretending to be an .exe file. That’s why it is important to know whether the AcroTRay.exe file on your computer is harmful or harmless.

So, is your AcroTray a threat? There are some ways to check if the file that you have on your computer is a virus or not. You may have gotten this one through the unreliable download sites. For your information, a harmless AcroTray file should be obtained directly from the AcroTray Adobe Systems Incorporated.

The easiest way to make sure an AcroTRay.exe threat is through the use of the Security Task Manager that can be downloaded. This one will scan your computer and inform you of malware and the other threats.

An alternative way is to check the location of the file on your computer. The file should be located in a subfolder of C:\Program Files. If it is there in C:\Windows\System32, then there is a high risk of a virus, spyware, or worm infection.

Apart from the AcroTray.exe has stopped working, you may have encountered some other errors such as AcroTray.exe is not running, AcroTray.exe failed, cannot find AcroTray, and AcroTray.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close.

There are some possible causes of the AcroTray issues. Some of them are related to corrupt download or installation of Adobe software, mistaken deletion of AcroTRay.exe file by a program or a malware, conflicting program with Adobe software, and virus or malware infection that corrupted AcroTRay.exe file.

Aside from using the Adobe path, you may also want to fix some other issues with these following methods.

Fix 1: Malware Fix

Malware Fix

The first method has a purpose to make sure that the AcroTray.exe on your computer is not a malicious file. You are able to use the tools that can be downloaded such as the Security Task Manager or Emsisoft Anti-Malware. Both of them are the most recommended tools by Microsoft Partners.

Fix 2: Disable AcroTray

Disable AcroTray

This method is aimed to disable AcroTray.exe on your computer. You will need to press Windows + R and type “msconfig” on the dialog box and press Enter. The step should open the System Configuration window.

In Windows 10, please click on the search icon and enter “msconfig”. Doing so should appear in the System Configuration in the results. Then, go to the Startup tab and search for AcroTray. Once you have found it, uncheck the box next to it and click Apply and then OK.

Fix 3: Stopping Startup

If you want to stop the AcroTray.exe from automatically starting each time the computer restarts, here is another method suggested at the Adobe forum. First, click on the Search icon and type Services. Then, right click on the Services app and select Run as Administrator.

Second, set Adobe Acrobat Update and Adobe Genuine Software Integrity to manually. Third, go to Task Manager and disable all Adobe related programs. Fourth, download and run Autoruns utility and disable Adobe related programs, including Adobe Acrobat Synchronizer, Adobe Assistant, and Adobe Updater Startup Utility. Fifth, download and run ShellExView.

Please go to Options, choose Show 32-bit Shell Extensions and disable each Adobe Acrobat Create PDF program. Sixth, go to Options and deselect Show 32-bit Shell Extensions and disable the same ones with the addition of Acrobat Elements Context Menu. Seventh, go back to Task Manager and kill AcroTray.exe. do not forget to sign out and into Windows.

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