Fix Acrobat Cannot Open Scanned PDFs After Updating to macOS Mojave
Question details
The user is unable to open scanned PDF files in Adobe Acrobat after upgrading their Mac to macOS Mojave.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- macOS Mojave
- Scenario
- Opening a scanned PDF file generated by a Samsung scanner after an OS update.
- Observed behavior
- PDFs scanned with a Samsung scanner fail to open or display an error in Adobe Acrobat after the Mac was updated to macOS Mojave.
Ensure your Samsung scanner drivers and Adobe Acrobat software are updated to their latest versions compatible with macOS Mojave before beginning troubleshooting.
Identify the Error and Test Alternative Viewers
Determine if the issue is with Adobe Acrobat, the scanner driver, or macOS by testing the PDF file and checking error messages.
Narrowing down the exact cause of the issue is critical. It helps verify whether the PDF file itself is corrupted by the scanner or if Adobe Acrobat is experiencing compatibility issues with macOS Mojave.
Open Adobe Acrobat, click on 'Acrobat' in the top Mac menu bar, and select 'About Adobe Acrobat' to verify your version number.
Try opening the scanned PDF and note down the exact error message that appears on the screen (e.g., 'File is damaged or could not be repaired').
Right-click the scanned PDF file, select 'Open With', and choose 'Preview' (the default Mac viewer) to see if the file is readable by other applications.
Use your Samsung scanner to create a brand new PDF to check if the issue only affects older files or if the scanner is currently generating incompatible files.
Update Samsung Scanner Drivers
Outdated scanner drivers can create incompatible PDF files. Updating them can resolve the issue.
Open and Edit Your Scanned PDFs Smoothly with WPS Office
If Adobe Acrobat continues to have compatibility issues with macOS Mojave, you can easily open, view, and edit your scanned PDFs using the lightweight and highly compatible WPS PDF reader.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Download and install WPS Office for Mac from the official website.
- 2. Launch the Application: Open WPS Office and click on the 'PDF' tab on the home screen.
- 3. Open the File: Click 'Open' and select the scanned PDF file that you were unable to view in Acrobat.
- 4. View and Edit: Use the built-in PDF tools to read, annotate, or edit the document seamlessly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do PDFs created by my Samsung scanner fail to open in macOS Mojave?
This is often caused by outdated scanner drivers that create PDFs with elements incompatible with the updated security or rendering engines in macOS Mojave and newer versions of Adobe Acrobat.
Can a corrupted PDF be repaired on a Mac?
Sometimes. If the file opens successfully in Apple Preview, you can often repair the PDF structure by selecting 'File' > 'Export as PDF' and saving a fresh, clean copy of the document.
Is Adobe Acrobat fully compatible with macOS Mojave?
Older versions of Acrobat (like Acrobat XI or early DC versions) may have compatibility issues with macOS Mojave. Upgrading to the latest Acrobat DC version usually resolves OS-specific bugs.
What should I do if Apple Preview also cannot open the scanned PDF?
If alternative readers like Preview or WPS PDF cannot open the file, the PDF itself was likely corrupted during the scanning process. You will need to rescan the original physical document.
