We’ve already covered about Adobe Reader processes AdobeARM.exe and reader_sl.exe, these run on startup automatically. armsvc.exe is another process related to the Adobe PDF Program, which will be used when needed by the Updater if you’ve enabled automatic updates for the application. You can notice this process running in Task Manager with a description Adobe Acrobat Update Service.
How to disable Automatic Updates of Adobe Reader X
What is armsvc.exe?
When you install Adobe Reader on your computer, it installs armsvc.exe as a Windows service for the Updater. This service helps Updater to install updates silently in the background.
Without this service, the user will be prompted with a UAC dialog when the update process is going on. FYI, Updater automatically checks every three days for updates of the Reader. It’s the Updater, which runs this service, and this service can be stopped or disabled, see the instructions below for doing that.
- Remove Adobe Reader 9, X, and XI with Official Adobe Reader and Acrobat Cleaner Tool
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Disabling or stopping armsvc.exe
- Open the Run command dialog and type
services.mscand press enter - Find and select ‘Adobe Acrobat Update Service’, double click on it to bring up its properties, click on Stop, and set its Startup type as Disabled.
- Click on the ‘OK’ button to apply the changes and close the services console.
Run an elevated command prompt (Win key, type ‘cmd’, right click cmd.exe, Run as Administrator) and type in:
sc.exe delete AdobeARMservice
To get rid of it permanently, after uninstalling Reader.
thank goodness for clear and concise instructions given by alex and torsten. of course, i read for hours to reach their posts. it worked as directed and taught me a way to take care of some other problems through the same process.
I believe this particular service was interrupting a wide variety of my activities that was accomplished so many times without problems until an unusual adobe alert (hey, it was adobe, trusted, proceeded as directed) and immediately noticed interruptions in those said activities.
the problem was getting rid of it – many thanks to you guys for making it so clear to accomplish, without fear.
And afterwards delete the folder
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\ARM