Fix Acrobat Pro 2020 Freezing When Saving PDFs on Mac
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where the PDF application becomes completely unresponsive when trying to save new or modified documents.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro 2020
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Attempting to save new or modified PDF files, including documents with recently added signatures.
- Observed behavior
- The application freezes indefinitely and displays a spinning cursor, preventing the user from successfully saving their work.
Ensure you have enough local disk space on your Mac, and verify that your internet connection is stable if you are currently working with files hosted on a networked drive.
Disable Online Storage Prompts in Preferences
Disabling the online storage prompts prevents the application from hanging while trying to connect to cloud services during the save process.
Often, the freezing issue is caused by the application attempting to communicate with an online storage service or shared network drive that is experiencing high latency or connectivity issues. Bypassing this default behavior forces the app to default to your local file system.
Launch Adobe Acrobat Pro 2020. In the top menu bar on your Mac, click on 'Adobe Acrobat' and select 'Preferences' from the dropdown menu.
In the Preferences window, select the 'General' category from the left-hand sidebar.
Locate and uncheck the boxes for both 'Show online storage when opening files' and 'Show online storage when saving files'.
Click 'OK' to apply the changes, then attempt to save your PDF document again to see if the freezing is resolved.
Save Locally and Update the Application
Saving files directly to a local drive and ensuring your software is up to date can resolve issues caused by network latency or software bugs.
Edit and Save PDFs Smoothly with WPS Office
If your current PDF software continues to freeze on your Mac, try WPS Office. It includes a powerful, built-in PDF reader and editor that operates smoothly on macOS, allowing you to seamlessly edit, sign, and save your documents without hanging or crashing.
- 1. Open the PDF File: Launch WPS Office on your Mac and drag and drop your PDF file into the workspace to open it.
- 2. Edit or Sign the Document: Navigate to the 'Edit' tab to modify text or click the 'Insert' tab to add your electronic signatures.
- 3. Save Your Work: Click the 'Menu' button in the top left corner, select 'Save As', choose a local folder on your Mac, and click 'Save' to instantly secure your document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Mac show a spinning beach ball when I try to save a PDF?
This usually happens when the application is struggling to communicate with a network drive, a shared server, or an integrated cloud storage service. The app hangs while waiting for a response, triggering the macOS spinning cursor.
Will I lose my added signatures if the application freezes during saving?
Yes, if the application is force-quit before the save completes successfully, any unsaved modifications—including newly applied signatures—will be lost. It is best to resolve the freezing issue before performing extensive edits.
Does disabling online storage in Acrobat mean I can no longer use my cloud storage?
No. Disabling the online storage prompts only stops the application from automatically trying to connect to cloud services by default when opening or saving files. You can still manually choose to save to cloud directories that are synced with your Mac via Finder.
