Error P81 or 81 occurs when you install Adobe Acrobat

Problem

When you try to install Acrobat from the Creative Cloud desktop app, you receive the error message with error code 81 depicted in the screenshot.

Error P81 or 81 occurs when you install Acrobat

Solution

To resolve the problem, try one of the following solutions:

Solution 1: Close the Adobe processes and restart your computer

Close all Adobe processes, and restart your computer. Then, try reinstalling Acrobat from the Creative Cloud desktop app. For more information, see Close conflicting processes or applications.

Solution 2: Rename the PDApp folder

The Adobe Application Manager or the PDApp.exe is installed in the PDApp folder. When you try to install or update any Adobe application from the Creative Cloud desktop app, it calls the process to run in the background. Renaming the folder will force close the process running in the background.

  1. Close the Creative Cloud desktop app.

  2. Navigate to the PDApp folder:

    • macOS:
      /Users/<user folder>/Library/Application Support/Adobe/OOBE/PDApp

    • Windows:
      • 64-bit: \Program Files(x86)\Common Files\Adobe\OOBE\PDApp
      • 32-bit: \Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\OOBE\PDApp

     

  3. Rename the PDApp folder to PDApp-old.

    Note:

    If the PDAPP folder isn't visible in the specified location, change your system settings to allow hidden files and folders to be displayed. To enable the setting, see the below articles:

  4. Launch the Creative Cloud desktop app, and install Adobe Acrobat.

 Adobe

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