If you're facing the frustrating issue of PDF files not opening in Internet Explorer when using Adobe Reader 10.0, resulting in just a blank gray screen, don't worry - you're not alone. This common problem can be a real headache, especially for your users who rely on quick access to PDF documents. But fear not, as there are a few simple steps you can take to resolve this issue and get your users back on track.
First things first, let's delve into why this problem may be occurring. The root of the issue often lies in compatibility conflicts between Adobe Reader 10.0 and Internet Explorer. Sometimes, the Acrobat PDF plugin for IE doesn't play nice with the latest Adobe Reader version, causing the blank screen quandary.
To address this, one effective workaround is to disable the Adobe PDF Reader plugin in Internet Explorer. By doing this, you can bypass the problematic plugin and open PDFs in a different way that should hopefully eliminate the gray screen dilemma for your users. Here’s how you can disable the plugin:
1. Launch Internet Explorer and navigate to the settings menu by clicking on the gear icon in the top-right corner of the browser window.
2. From the dropdown menu, select “Manage add-ons” to access the list of installed plugins and extensions.
3. Look for the Adobe PDF Reader plugin in the list of add-ons. You may find it under the 'Toolbars and Extensions' category.
4. Once you locate the Adobe PDF Reader plugin, select it and then choose the “Disable” option. This action will prevent the plugin from automatically opening PDF files in the browser.
With the Adobe PDF Reader plugin disabled, your users should now be able to open PDF files in Internet Explorer without encountering the empty gray screen issue. When they click on a PDF link, the file should either open in the browser window or prompt them to download and view it externally in Adobe Reader.
However, if you still encounter the same problem despite disabling the plugin, there's another step you can take to potentially solve the issue. Try enabling the 'Display PDF in browser' option within Adobe Reader itself. Here's how you can do this:
1. Open Adobe Reader and navigate to the 'Edit' menu.
2. Select 'Preferences' from the dropdown menu.
3. In the Preferences window, choose 'Internet' from the left-hand sidebar.
4. Check the box next to 'Display PDF in browser' to enable this setting.
By enabling this option, you're configuring Adobe Reader to handle PDF files within the browser, which can help in resolving compatibility issues with Internet Explorer.
In conclusion, by following these steps to disable the Adobe PDF Reader plugin in Internet Explorer and adjusting the settings in Adobe Reader, you can troubleshoot the problem of PDF files not opening in IE with Adobe Reader 10.0. These straightforward solutions should help you get your users back to seamlessly accessing PDF documents through their web browser.