Adobe Reader 11 (XI) for Windows

Adobe Reader 11, also known as Adobe Reader XI, is the version 11.0 line of Adobe's free PDF viewer for Windows, first released on 15 October 2012. Adobe ended support for it on 15 October 2017, and the current Adobe Acrobat Reader is its successor; the installer is kept here as an archive for legacy systems.

Quick facts

• Developer: Adobe Systems Inc
• Line: 11.0 (Reader XI)
• Released: 15 October 2012
• Systems: Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8
• Status: end of support since 15 October 2017
• Successor: Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Licence: free
• Size: about 134.48 MB according to catalogue data

What it was

Reader XI was the last version released under the plain "Adobe Reader" name. It opened and printed PDF files, filled in forms and added comments, highlights and sticky notes. It introduced a stronger Protected Mode sandbox on Windows, which isolated PDF files from the rest of the system, and it integrated with Adobe's online services for signing and converting documents. After it, Adobe renamed the free viewer to Acrobat Reader DC and switched to continuous updates. Adobe's release notes for legacy Acrobat products still document its patches.

Why the end of support matters

PDF readers are a frequent target for attacks, because a single malicious document sent by email can exploit a bug. Since 15 October 2017, Reader XI gets no security fixes. Using it to open files from the internet or email is risky.

Who might still need it

• Owners of old PCs with Windows XP or Vista that cannot run current Reader versions.
• Testers checking how a document behaves in older software.
• Isolated systems that only open trusted internal files.

How to switch to the current Reader

1. Uninstall Adobe Reader XI from Control Panel.
2. Download Acrobat Reader from the official Adobe Reader page.
3. Check the system requirements: current versions need Windows 7 SP1 or later, 2GB of RAM and a 1.5GHz processor.
4. If you really need an older build, Adobe explains options on its older versions page.

Tips for legacy systems

If you must keep Reader XI on an old PC, disconnect that machine from the internet or open only files you created yourself. Keep Protected Mode switched on in the preferences, turn off JavaScript in PDF documents, and do not use it as the default viewer for email attachments. On any computer that can run a current version, upgrade instead: the new Reader is free and gets regular security fixes.

Price

Adobe Reader XI was free, as is the current Acrobat Reader.

Pros and cons

• Pro: runs on very old Windows versions.
• Pro: familiar, lighter interface than current versions.
• Con: no security updates any more.
• Con: newer PDF features may not display correctly.
• Con: online services it used are gone.

Alternatives

The successor is Adobe PDF Reader on our site. Other PDF tools include PDF Reader, PDF Candy Desktop, Wondershare PDFelement for editing, and LibreOffice.