AdobeCollabSync.exe

Application ProcessAdobe Inc.

Also called adobecollabsync, adobe collab sync, acrobat collab

Adobe Inc.Application

Acrobat / Adobe collaboration sync helper. It keeps shared review and cloud collaboration in step. It is not the ARM updater.

What you need to know

Collab sync, not ARM updater.

AdobeCollabSync.exe syncs Acrobat shared reviews and Document Cloud collaboration. AdobeARM.exe updates the product. armsvc.exe is the update service. Ending collab sync does not cancel an ARM patch.

Safe?: Yes, with Acrobat collaboration
Is it ARM?: No. AdobeARM is the updater
Should I end it?: Shared review sync pauses

Feex says

If AdobeCollabSync is busy while a shared PDF is open, I treat that as review sync. I do not end AdobeARM to stop comments.

What is AdobeCollabSync.exe?

AdobeCollabSync.exe is collab sync, not the ARM updater. It sits with Acrobat or Reader. AdobeARM.exe lives under Common Files\Adobe\ARM.

What does it do?

It pushes and pulls collaboration state for shared PDFs. It does not patch Acrobat. It does not show product toasts.

Why is it running?

A shared review, a Document Cloud file, or Acrobat's collab helper started. A leftover after you close the PDF can be a last sync.

Is it safe?

Usually safe when Adobe signed

An Adobe-signed AdobeCollabSync next to Acrobat is the helper. AdobeCollabSync.exe in Temp is not. This is still not AdobeARM.

A legitimate copy normally runs from:

C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\AdobeCollabSync.exe

Reader installs can use Acrobat Reader DC\Reader
Not Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe
Not armsvc.exe

Can I end it?

Shared review sync pauses

Ending AdobeCollabSync.exe can drop in-flight comments. An Acrobat update in AdobeARM can continue.

Can I remove it?

Uninstall Acrobat or Reader

Uninstall Acrobat or Reader from Settings > Apps. Deleting AdobeARM.exe does not remove collab sync, and deleting this helper does not stop ARM updates.

Should it start with Windows?

Acrobat starts it when collaboration is in play. ARM scheduled tasks are a different path.

Normal resource behavior

These are contextual labels, not universal averages.

CPU: Follows comment and file sync
Memory: Small to moderate
Disk: Review cache
Network: Adobe collaboration endpoints

File information

AdobeCollabSync.exe file information
Executable name	AdobeCollabSync.exe
Common legitimate path	C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\AdobeCollabSync.exe
Publisher	Adobe Inc.
Signature expectation	Signed by Adobe Inc.

Common problems

People kill ARM because a shared PDF is "syncing"

Wrong helper. Collab is this filename. ARM is the updater.

Comments missing after someone ended the helper

Reopen the shared file in Acrobat and let collab reconnect. Do not run AdobeARM as a comment repair.

Troubleshooting

Diagnose before you change anything destructive.

Reopen the shared PDF and check Acrobat's review pane

That restarts collab sync. Help > Check for Updates is AdobeARM, not this process.

Open file location

Acrobat\AdobeCollabSync.exe is this article. ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe is the updater.

Technical details

AdobeCollabSync.exe technical details
Image name	AdobeCollabSync.exe
Role	Acrobat / Adobe collaboration sync

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

Adobe Help: shared reviews · Acrobat collaboration is not the updater
Adobe Help: Acrobat · Product help
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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