Can Acrobat 11 and Acrobat DC Coexist on the Same Mac?
Question details
The user wants to know if it is possible to install and simultaneously maintain Adobe Acrobat 11 and Adobe Acrobat DC on a single Mac computer.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- Mac
- Scenario
- Installing and running multiple versions of PDF software on macOS without causing system conflicts.
- Observed behavior
- The user needs to maintain access to both Acrobat 11 and Acrobat DC, ensuring that they can manually select which application opens their PDF files.
Verify your current macOS version before proceeding. Adobe Acrobat 11 is a 32-bit application and is completely unsupported on macOS Catalina (10.15) and later versions.
Installing and Using Both Versions Manually
You can install both versions on a compatible Mac, but you must manually select the desired application when opening files to avoid default conflicts.
While both applications can be installed in your Mac's Applications folder, the system's PDF file associations and browser plugins will typically default to the most recently installed version (usually Acrobat DC).
Install Adobe Acrobat 11 first, followed by Adobe Acrobat DC. This ensures the newer application handles system-level PDF plugins appropriately.
To open a specific file in the older version, right-click (or Control-click) the target PDF file in Finder.
Hover over 'Open With' in the drop-down menu and manually select either Adobe Acrobat 11 or Adobe Acrobat DC from the list of available applications.
Configuring Default PDF Associations
If you want one specific version to handle all standard PDF files by default, you can force macOS to remember your preference.
Use WPS Office as a Lightweight PDF and Office Alternative on Mac
Managing multiple legacy and subscription versions of PDF software can cause conflicts and slow down your Mac. WPS Office offers a built-in, lightweight, and powerful PDF editor seamlessly integrated into a complete office suite, saving you from software compatibility headaches.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Download and install WPS Office for Mac from the official website.
- 2. Set as Default: Right-click a PDF file, select 'Get Info', choose WPS Office under 'Open with', and click 'Change All'.
- 3. Edit Seamlessly: Double-click any PDF to instantly view, annotate, and edit your documents without version conflicts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won't Acrobat 11 open on my new Mac?
Adobe Acrobat 11 is built on 32-bit architecture. Starting with macOS Catalina (10.15), Apple completely dropped support for 32-bit apps. If your Mac runs Catalina or any newer macOS, Acrobat 11 will display an error and fail to open.
Will my web browser PDF plugins conflict if I install both?
Yes, web browsers (like Safari or Chrome) typically only recognize one active PDF viewing plugin at a time. The most recently installed or updated software (usually Acrobat DC) will overwrite the older plugin and take over browser viewing capabilities.
Can I run Acrobat 11 and Acrobat DC at the exact same time?
While both can exist in your Applications folder, running both programs simultaneously is highly discouraged. They share background processes and temporary system folders, which can lead to application freezing, crashing, or licensing errors.
