Adobe Acrobat Reader won't open

[SPJones]

Hi folks. For standardisation issues with my work, I need to use Adobe Acrobat Reader when sharing pdfs on Zoom. However, for the last few weeks the app just doesn't open.

Or rather, it opens and then does nothing. It doesn't display any pdfs, and the only thing that appears in the title bar is 'Acrobat Reader' (no 'File' etc).

I've tried uninstalling and then installing again, but this hasn't changed anything.

Any tips or fixes would be most welcome!

 

[bogdanw]

Have you tried the Acrobat Cleaner tool?
https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/cleaner.html#macintosh

 

[SPJones]

Have you tried the Acrobat Cleaner tool?
https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/cleaner.html#macintosh

Thanks, and yes, just tried it and then reinstalled AAR again, but with no success.

When it 'opens', I can't quit it without using Force Quit, too. Not sure if that's a symptom of anything.

No other apps crash or function like this

 

[bogdanw]

Quite strange.
I presume you are trying with the latest version from https://get.adobe.com/reader/, at the moment AcroRdrDC_2200320314_MUI.dmg

https://ardownload2.adobe.com/pub/adobe/reader/mac/AcrobatDC/2200320314/AcroRdrDC_2200320314_MUI.dmg

Here is the link for AcroRdrDC_2200320281_MUI.dmg from November 2022

https://ardownload2.adobe.com/pub/adobe/reader/mac/AcrobatDC/2200320281/AcroRdrDC_2200320281_MUI.dmg

 

[SPJones]

Quite strange.
I presume you are trying with the latest version from https://get.adobe.com/reader/, at the moment AcroRdrDC_2200320314_MUI.dmg

https://ardownload2.adobe.com/pub/adobe/reader/mac/AcrobatDC/2200320314/AcroRdrDC_2200320314_MUI.dmg

Here is the link for AcroRdrDC_2200320281_MUI.dmg from November 2022

https://ardownload2.adobe.com/pub/adobe/reader/mac/AcrobatDC/2200320281/AcroRdrDC_2200320281_MUI.dmg

Thanks man, I was using the latest version and it doesn't work. I tried the link to the Nov 22 version and it's the same

Appreciate the link all the same.

 

[bogdanw]

Just temporary, try to give it Full Disk Access
Controlling app access to files in macOS https://support.apple.com/guide/security/controlling-app-access-to-files-secddd1d86a6/web

 

[SPJones]

Thanks again. Still not working after uninstalling, reinstalling and giving it FDA

This is driving me nuts!

 

[bogdanw]

Have you tried the shortcut for Open ⌘O ?

 

[SPJones]

Have you tried the shortcut for Open ⌘O ?

Yeah mate. Dialogue box opens but when selecting the file, it doesn't open if I choose AAR. Preview, Foxit, etc all fine.

 

[bogdanw]

Hoping I haven't become as annoying as Reader here are some other ideas, from Terminal:
- reset all permission for Adobe Reader

tccutil reset All com.adobe.Reader

- mark the Terms & conditions as accepted, maybe it gets stuck at that part

defaults write com.adobe.Reader EULAAccepted 1

-start the app

open -a /Applications/Adobe\ Acrobat\ Reader.app

-start the app by opening the binary

/Applications/Adobe\ Acrobat\ Reader.app/Contents/MacOS/AdobeReader

For the last one, Reader opens just as you describe, but becomes active when clicked.

 

[SPJones]

Hoping I haven't become as annoying as Reader here are some other ideas, from Terminal:
- reset all permission for Adobe Reader

tccutil reset All com.adobe.Reader

- mark the Terms & conditions as accepted, maybe it gets stuck at that part

defaults write com.adobe.Reader EULAAccepted 1

-start the app

open -a /Applications/Adobe\ Acrobat\ Reader.app

-start the app by opening the binary

/Applications/Adobe\ Acrobat\ Reader.app/Contents/MacOS/AdobeReader

For the last one, Reader opens just as you describe, but becomes active when clicked.

Not at all - you're a great help.

Sadly none of the above have made any difference

Just seems odd that a pretty common application like AAR isn't working on a Mac, especially after countless reinstallation, etc.

Anything else worth trying that you can think of?

 

[DeltaMac]

Try to open AAR in another user account.
If you don't have other user accounts, make one just for troubleshooting.

 

[StellarVixen]

Download CleanMyMac. Trial option is very limited, but it can help you locate everything that is connected to Acrobat Reader. Every folder, every .plist file. Delete them all and install AR again.

After this, you can keep or delete CleanMyMac if you wish, your choice.

 

[TinyMito]

or I have better luck fixing app problems with Nektony app made in Ukraine.

App Cleaner & Uninstaller - Download from Official site

Uninstall apps on Mac completely without leaving any trace of them. A smart, intuitive and efficient solution to clean up your Mac and manage extensions.

nektony.com

 

[SPJones]

Try to open AAR in another user account.
If you don't have other user accounts, make one just for troubleshooting.

Thanks. Just tried this and same issue on the new standard user account

 

[SPJones]

Download CleanMyMac. Trial option is very limited, but it can help you locate everything that is connected to Acrobat Reader. Every folder, every .plist file. Delete them all and install AR again.

After this, you can keep or delete CleanMyMac if you wish, your choice.

Thanks for helping. I downloaded CMM and got the free trial. However:

This is getting weirder

 

[SPJones]

or I have better luck fixing app problems with Nektony app made in Ukraine.

App Cleaner & Uninstaller - Download from Official site

Uninstall apps on Mac completely without leaving any trace of them. A smart, intuitive and efficient solution to clean up your Mac and manage extensions.

nektony.com

Thanks. Have tried both this and CCM then a fresh install. Still getting the same issue.

I'm at the point where I might reinstall Ventura (or even try a previous version) to see if that's the issue.

Grrr!

 

[bogdanw]

I'm out of fixing Reader ideas, but it would be interesting to know if Acrobat Pro behaves in the same way.
https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/acrobat-dc-downloads.html

https://trials.adobe.com/AdobeProducts/APRO/Acrobat_HelpX/osx10/Acrobat_DC_Web_WWMUI.dmg

 

[Ruggy]

I suggest you look for the plist file.
What may have happened is the plist file has been corrupted and maybe it's one of the files that is left behind when you uninstall. It's why some people use an uninstall program to clean up this sort of thing.
Anyway, the plist or preferences list file is typically referred to when you open an app so it's often the problem when you can't open an app like this so it's worth a shot.
You need to search for 'com.adobe.Reader.plist', delete it and reboot the machine which will create a fresh one.
Otherwise go to 'Finder', then hold down the option key and click on 'Go' in the address bar in order for library to be displayed in the list. Then open the 'Preferences' folder and find com.adobe.Reader.plist

 

[SPJones]

Thanks to everyone that posted in the thread. This was driving me nuts, and all the kind solutions offered came up with no success.

In the end I reinstalled MacOS and now AAR is working. Annoying this is that for all my personal stuff I use Preview or Foxit, and only need AAR for one project.

Cheers again.

 

[dKupe]

Wow just downloaded latest Acrobat Reader and having exact same experience as the OP. Launches, but in a fully frozen state and will not open any documents. Like the OP, I use Preview and needed AAR for just one project. Deleted app and all Adobe .plist files and restarted. No help. That's about the limit of my patience though. Well done OP for sticking with it.

 

[SPJones]

Wow just downloaded latest Acrobat Reader and having exact same experience as the OP. Launches, but in a fully frozen state and will not open any documents. Like the OP, I use Preview and needed AAR for just one project. Deleted app and all Adobe .plist files and restarted. No help. That's about the limit of my patience though. Well done OP for sticking with it.

Sorry to hear you’re having the same issues. I just gave up in the end.

It’s so far the only program I’ve had issues with running on OCLP Monterey or Ventura.

Which Mac OS are you on?

 

[dKupe]

Sorry to hear you’re having the same issues. I just gave up in the end.

It’s so far the only program I’ve had issues with running on OCLP Monterey or Ventura.

Which Mac OS are you on?

MacOS Monterey 12.5.1. OCLP on my late-2013 iMac 27. Been 100% compatible and reliable in the 6 months I've been running it. Certainly not going to jump through any additional hoops to run Adobe anything. But thank you for exhausting all reasonable measures and sharing.

 

[Tacos_iN_Space]

Thanks to everyone that posted in the thread. This was driving me nuts, and all the kind solutions offered came up with no success.

In the end I reinstalled MacOS and now AAR is working. Annoying this is that for all my personal stuff I use Preview or Foxit, and only need AAR for one project.

Cheers again.

Heya. I came to this thread b/c I'm having this exact problem, both Reader and Acrobat.
Big Sur = perfect. Ventura =
When you say you reinstalled MacOS, do you mean rolling back to, say, Monterey?
Or did you reinstall Ventura?

 

[bogdanw]

Ventura =

If you have Ventura installed with OCLP, update OCLP.
There were several problems caused by OCPL, that appear to have been fixed by OCLP 0.6.3-0.6.4

Issue with preview app https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/issue-with-preview-app.2385555/
using command button or arrow buttons in apps causes them to crash https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...buttons-in-apps-causes-them-to-crash.2375101/