Adobe Reader and Acrobat can regularly check for important updates and install them for you. These updates can include important security fixes and product enhancements.

You cannot change updater preferences for Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Adobe Acrobat updater settings

Updates are delivered via two options:

• Install updates automatically (recommended): Acrobat Reader and Acrobat regularly checks for important updates, downloads them, and installs them automatically. When finished, you are alerted via a small message in the system tray that your software has been updated. This method is recommended since it does not require end-user intervention. It is the best way to keep Acrobat Reader and Acrobat up-to-date and more secure.
• Manually check for and install updates: Acrobat Reader and Acrobat don't check for updates. Instead, the user selects Check for Updates. This option is the least secure, and only recommended in organizations that use other methods of deploying updates to their systems.

Adobe Reader XI and Acrobat XI updater settings

Updates are delivered via four options:

• Install updates automatically (recommended): Adobe Reader and Acrobat regularly checks for important updates, downloads them, and installs them automatically. When finished, you are alerted via a small message in the system tray that your software has been updated. This method is recommended since it does not require end-user intervention. It is the best way to keep Adobe Reader and Acrobat up-to-date and more secure.
• Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them: Adobe Reader and Acrobat regularly checks for important updates and downloads them. Before that update can be installed, Adobe Reader and Acrobat prompt you to start the installation.
• Notify me, but let me choose when to download and install updates: Adobe Reader and Acrobat notify the end user that an update is ready for download and install.
• Manually check for and install updates: Adobe Reader and Acrobat don't check for updates. Instead, the end user selects Check For Updates. This option is the least secure, and only recommended in organizations that use other methods of deploying updates to their systems.

If you decide to change this option in future, it is available in the Preferences settings under Updater (choose Edit > Preferences), except as noted above for Adobe Acrobat Reader.