How do I use the Hand Tool as default in Adobe Reader?

If you select the Hand Tool from menu (Tools / Select and Zoom), Adobe Reader should keep this setting when you open other documents later (tested with Adobe Reader 9).

There is no Tools menu on my version, nor is there any Hand tool under Zoom.

I found the Hand with a right click on the page.

Unfortunately, from the next right-click, I also accidentally hid the toolbars and now I can't find any way of getting them back.

On Windows, the relevant preference is set in the registry like this: -

• Open the Registry Editor -->

regedit.exe

• Browse to the relevant key -->

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\[version]\Selection

• Edit the appropriate value -->

Change the data of aDefaultSelect to Hand.


PS: I could not make this work for previously opened documents until I restored the default settings for Adobe Reader by deleting the following key -->

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\[version]\

You might not have to take this step.

I have Adobe Acrobat Pro DC 2021. The most common method is through Preferences/Accessories/"Uncheck" box saying, "Always display keyboard selection cursor."

This box was already unchecked for me so this is obviously the wrong route for me. I found that if I Right-click my mouse and literally click "Hand Tool", then exit Adobe and reopen it, it now starts with my Hand Tool.

Such a strange random way to make something a 'Default', but that's how it worked for me.

For Adobe Reader DC the default tool is configured in Edit/Preferences.../General (credits):

• Touch Mode Never = Selection Tool is default
• Touch Mode Auto-Detect = Hand Tool is default

If you enable Use single-key accelerators to access tools, the mode can be toggled while pressing Space.

Now it would be super useful if one could bind this toggle e.g. to a HP Tilt Pens' B-Button, but I did not yet sort out whether this is possible.