​How to Open Files in Separate Windows in Adobe Acrobat Pro, Standard, and Reader DC

The tabbed view in Adobe Acrobat Pro, Standard, and Reader DC is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it offers a certain degree of convenience with tools to manage multiple PDFs in a single window. On the other hand, it gets frustrating when you want to view files side by side or split between monitors.

There is no obvious way to open PDFs in separate windows. Come on, Adobe! The ‘Open in New Window’ option won’t hurt you. However, there are several methods you can use to achieve the desired functionality fairly easily – you just need to know how.

Drag Out Of The Window

The first method is simple to perform, but does not immediately launch your documents in a new window. After opening several PDFs, click and drag a PDF tab from the Acrobat Pro, Standard, or Reader DC window.

And voila! This prompts the PDF to automatically open in a separate window. If you’ve played around with browser tabs in Chrome or Firefox, you should be pretty familiar with the process.

Note:

But while dragging tabs out is handy for one-off examples, it all gets a little tedious when dealing with dozens of PDFs on a regular basis. If you want everything to happen automatically, read on.

Use Built-in Setting

This should come as no surprise, but all versions of Acrobat DC have a built-in setting that lets you get rid of tabs completely. But where? I understand that checkboxes and other configurations can be overwhelming. So let’s do this quickly.

Start by clicking Edit in the menu bar. Select Preferences from the context menu that appears.

In the Preferences pane, click the General side tab and then uncheck the box next to ‘Open Documents As New Tabs In The Same Window’.

Then click OK and restart the application for the change to take effect.

You will no longer see the tabbed area below the menu bar – as a bonus, this also means more screen real estate for you. PDF files should now launch in separate windows.

Note:

Change Registry Key

Another way to get rid of the tabbed view in Acrobat Pro, Standard, and Reader DC is to do a simple tweak to the system registry. While the built-in setting is all you need to get rid of those pesky tabs, if you want to impress your friends with a little technical mastery, check out the steps below!

Note:

Stage 1: Start by launching the Registry Editor. To do this press Windows-R to load the Run box, type regedit Click on the search bar and then OK.

Step 2: Depending on your version of Acrobat DC, copy and paste the appropriate path into the address bar at the top of the Registry Editor window and press Enter:

Adobe Acrobat Pro and Standard

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\AVGeneral

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\AVGeneral

Stage 3: In the list of registry keys that appear on the right of the window, right-click bSDIMode and then select Modify.

Step 4: Add 1 to the box under Value Data and then click OK.

Step 5: Open the File menu and then click Exit to close Registry Editor.

Start Acrobat DC and you should see it completely devoid of tabs. Also, your PDFs will open in separate windows after this tweak.

Note:

here you go

Tabs are useful, but they can also be a barrier when it comes to productivity. But you just learned how to get rid of them. Now you can work on your documents without having to worry about constantly switching between tabs.

Regardless, Adobe should have offered ways to open PDFs off the bat. This would add a bit of versatility and keep people from pulling their hair out when dealing with multiple PDFs.