Fix Adobe Acrobat DC Installation Stuck at 12% on macOS
Question details
The user is unable to complete the installation of Adobe Acrobat DC because the progress bar continuously halts at exactly 12%.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat DC
- Device & OS
- macOS High Sierra 10.13.6
- Scenario
- Downloading and installing Adobe Acrobat DC on a Mac.
- Observed behavior
- The installer progress hangs and stops at 12 percent without displaying an error message or advancing further.
Ensure your Mac is connected to a stable internet network and that you have administrator privileges to install new software.
Close Browsers and Background Processes via Activity Monitor
Running browsers like Safari can interfere with the Adobe installer, causing it to freeze at specific points.
The Adobe Acrobat installer often requires system-level access that conflicts with running web browsers, particularly Safari on macOS. Forcing these applications to close completely via the Activity Monitor ensures the installer has unrestricted access to system directories.
Reboot your macOS device to ensure all temporary hanging processes and cached files from previous failed attempts are cleared from memory.
Navigate to Applications > Utilities from your Finder and launch the Activity Monitor app.
Locate Safari and any other web browsers (like Chrome or Firefox) in the list. Select them and click the 'X' button at the top of the window to force quit.
Launch the Adobe Acrobat DC installer again and proceed with the installation.
Download the Offline Installer Directly
If the cloud downloader is failing, bypassing it with a direct download can bypass the network hang-up.
Install WPS Office for Seamless PDF Editing on Mac
If Adobe Acrobat DC continues to fail during installation, consider using WPS Office. It includes a built-in, lightweight PDF editor that installs quickly on macOS without freezing, allowing you to view, edit, and annotate PDF documents instantly.
- 1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the Mac version of the software.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Open the downloaded file and drag the WPS Office icon into your macOS Applications folder to complete the quick installation.
- 3. Open Your PDF: Launch WPS Office, click 'Open', and select your PDF file to start reading and editing immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Adobe Acrobat DC installer get stuck exactly at 12%?
The 12% mark is typically when the Adobe installer attempts to integrate browser extensions or modify system-level folders. If a browser like Safari is running, the installer gets blocked, causing the progress bar to freeze.
Will Adobe Acrobat DC still work on macOS High Sierra 10.13.6?
Adobe officially updates its system requirements over time, and newer versions of Acrobat DC may drop support for older operating systems like High Sierra. If the latest installer fails, you may need to download a legacy installer compatible with 10.13.6.
How do I completely remove a failed Adobe installation before retrying?
To prevent corrupt files from blocking a new installation, use the official Adobe Acrobat Cleaner Tool for Mac, or manually delete Adobe-related folders found in your Applications folder and the /Library/Application Support/Adobe directory.
