PDF thumbnails are not created

Question

In Windows Explorer thumbnails for PDF-files aren't created. It just displays the icons, other files (such as jpg's) work fine. I've already tried every solution I could find on the internet. Registry hacks, the fix by PretentiousName, changing the default pdf-program,... but nothing helps. Strangely enough, the preview side pane displays the previews without problems.

Is there something else I could try? Identical computers with the same hard- and software don't have this problem. This is really annoying as I have multiple folders with each 100+ pdf-files, finding the right one is a real pain...

The computer runs on Windows 7 Pro x64, my PDF-reader is Adobe Acrobat DC

Answer 1

It is as simple as 1-2-3 , install foxit reader. Make it the default pdf reader app (you can change it later, nothing harm). And see the magic, all the disappeared thumbnails will reappear. The easiest way i think. Even if you use adobe DC as default, the thumbnail will remain the same.

Answer 2

I can help you with the following workaraound, that I accidentally found out today. It works with Windows 7 - 64 bit and Adobe Reader XI, maybe with other versions too. It´s only a workaround, but beware that maybe there will NEVER be a solution, because Adobe has removed that function intentionally - see here their comment from 2015-07-12, post #98: https://forums.adobe.com/thread/303008?start=80&tstart=0

Now here´s how you do it: Open Adobe Reader XI and browse for your PDF-files to open them (but do only browsing) via -> menu -> files -> open. In the explorer-like browser-window change the view to medium/large symbols - the icons are generated immediately, and are also displayable in windows-explorer later too!

Alternatively (the way I found it out), you can open a PDF-file in your browser (Firefox) by using the Adobe-plugin, then save the file, and save it again, but change the view to medium/large symbols, when you reenter the explorer-like browser-window.

Enjoy preview-thumbnails again on your Windows 7 machine!

Edit: Today (2016-02-23) I´ve installed Adobe Reader DC (latest version) and from now on my workaround mentioned above doesn´t work anymore! So I stepped back to Version 11.0.14 and above is working again.

Another convenient tipp to save time: Launch Acrobat Reader XI and click on "File" - "Open" in the menu. Select the folder "Computer" on the left (be sure "Computer" shows up in the top-bar). Then type "*.pdf" in the search filter (at the top, right) and start the search (hit enter or loupe-icon). This way ALL pdf-files will get the desired preview-icons in one turn. Certainly you might have to wait some time till the process is finished.

[There are a lot of threads on superuser, all concerning this problem ("No Adobe Reader thumbnail icons in Windows Explorer on a Windows 7 machine"). Maybe it would be a good idea to put them all together, because I published my answer (facts from Adobe, workaraound, version information) only here.]