How to Remove the FileOpen Plug-In

FileOpen Systems distributes a plug-in for Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat called FileOpen.api. Additional information about the plug-in is available in this FAQ.

In most cases Windows users can remove the FileOpen.api by launching Control Panel and Add/Remove Programs (on Vista, Programs and Features) right-clicking the entry for "FileOpen Plug-in for Adobe Acrobat and Reader" and selecting Uninstall. We also have an uninstall tool available here. Manual removal instructions for all platforms are provided below.

To manually remove FileOpen.api on Windows, please do the following:
  1. Close Adobe Acrobat or Reader.
  2. Search for and delete all copies of FileOpen.api
  3. You may have in the same location as FileOpen.api another file fowpkbd.api, if so delete this also.
  4. In some cases you may have a folder C:\Documents and Settings\<your login>\Application Data\FileOpen (on Vista or above this will be C:\Users\<your login>\AppData\Roaming\FileOpen). If so, delete this folder.
  5. If you installed via the web via IE and do not have Java installed, you may have the FileOpen ActiveX control. From IE invoke Tools > Internet Options > General > Temporary Internet Files > Settings > View Objects, then delete FileOpenInstaller.
To remove FileOpen.api on Macintosh, please do the following:
  1. Download the current installer from https://plugin.fileopen.com/.
  2. Open FileOpenInstaller.dmg
    Mac OS dmg view
  3. Run FileOpenPluginUninstaller
  4. Click the button "Click to begin uninstallation"
    Mac OS uninstaller
  5. You may have a folder in your Library:FileOpen, which can be deleted.
To remove FileOpen.api on Linux, please do the following:
  1. Close Adobe Acrobat or Reader.
  2. Remove FileOpen.AR<VERSION>.api from Reader\intellinux\plugin_is folder.


An older, and now discontinued, FileOpen plug-in was named fOpen32.api.

To remove fOpen32.api on Windows please do the following:
  1. Close Adobe Acrobat or Reader.
  2. Search for and delete all copies of fOpen32.api
  3. You may also have a registry entry that was created by the software. Please contact your administrator if you are unsure about how to remove registry entries. The entry is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>Software>FileOpen.
FileOpen Systems has been a licensed Adobe Security Partner since 1997.