Fix Adobe Acrobat 32-Bit Warning on macOS Mojave
Question details
The user receives an alert on macOS Mojave stating that their Adobe Acrobat installation requires 32-bit architecture and may not work with future macOS versions.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- macOS Mojave
- Scenario
- Using or installing Adobe Acrobat on a Mac running macOS Mojave, preparing for a future operating system upgrade.
- Observed behavior
- macOS triggers a compatibility warning indicating that the software is 32-bit and will be unsupported in future macOS releases.
Ensure your Mac is connected to the internet and verify which exact version of Adobe Acrobat you are currently running by checking the 'About Adobe Acrobat' menu.
Update Acrobat and its Installer to 64-Bit
Run the official Adobe updater to replace older 32-bit background installer components with 64-bit versions, clearing the compatibility warning.
While macOS Mojave warns about 32-bit compatibility, modern Acrobat applications like Acrobat Pro DC, Acrobat Pro 2015, and Acrobat Pro 2017 are natively 64-bit. The warning is almost always triggered by a legacy 32-bit Adobe installer or updater utility running in the background, rather than the main Acrobat application itself.
Launch the Adobe Acrobat application currently installed on your Mac.
Navigate to the top menu bar, click on 'Help', and select 'Check for Updates' from the dropdown menu.
Follow the on-screen prompts in the Adobe Updater window to download and install the newest software patches. This will upgrade the background installer utilities to 64-bit.
Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner, hold the Option key, and select 'System Information'. Navigate to Software > Applications, locate Adobe Acrobat, and ensure the '64-Bit (Intel)' column indicates 'Yes'.
Use WPS Office as a Fast, 64-Bit Compatible PDF Editor
If your older version of Adobe Acrobat is no longer supported on newer macOS versions, WPS Office provides a fully 64-bit compatible, lightweight, and powerful PDF solution. It runs natively on modern macOS without triggering compatibility warnings and handles all your document needs effortlessly.
- 1. Download the Mac installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the download button for macOS.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Open the downloaded .dmg file and drag the WPS Office application icon into your Mac's Applications folder.
- 3. Make WPS your default PDF viewer: Right-click any PDF file, select 'Get Info', choose WPS Office under the 'Open with' section, and click 'Change All'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does macOS Mojave show a warning for 32-bit applications?
macOS Mojave is the last Apple operating system to support 32-bit apps. Apple implemented this warning to notify users that specific applications will fail to launch if they upgrade their Mac to macOS Catalina, Big Sur, or any newer OS version.
Is Adobe Acrobat Pro DC a 32-bit or 64-bit app on Mac?
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, as well as the 2015 and 2017 versions, are fully 64-bit applications. The 32-bit warning in macOS Mojave is typically caused by an older, leftover Adobe background updater or installer component.
What happens if I upgrade to macOS Catalina without fixing this warning?
If you upgrade to macOS Catalina or later while still relying on 32-bit Adobe components, the associated software will display a prohibition symbol over its icon and will not open. You will be forced to update or replace the software to access your PDFs.
