Fix Adobe Acrobat Freezing with Black Screen When Adding Signatures
Question details
The user is unable to add a signature because the PDF application freezes and displays a black translucent screen.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- Device & OS
- macOS Mojave
- Scenario
- Adding a digital or standard signature to a PDF document.
- Observed behavior
- The application displays a black translucent screen and becomes completely unresponsive immediately after selecting the Sign option.
Before modifying application preferences, try signing a different or newly created PDF file to ensure the issue is not caused by a corrupted document.
Disable the Modern User Interface for Signing
Reverting to the legacy signature interface prevents the black screen freeze in Acrobat by bypassing a compatibility glitch with macOS.
This freezing issue is often caused by a compatibility glitch between the modern signing interface of Adobe Acrobat and certain macOS environments, such as Mojave. Disabling the modern UI forces Acrobat to use the standard, stable dialog box for signature creation.
Launch Adobe Acrobat DC, open the application menu at the top of the screen, and navigate to Preferences > Signatures.
On the right side of the preferences pane, locate the 'Creation & Appearance' section and click the 'More' button.
In the new window, uncheck the option labeled 'Use modern user interface for signing and Digital ID configuration'.
Click OK in the Creation and Appearance window, then click OK in the main Preferences window. Relaunch Adobe Acrobat and attempt to add your signature.
Sign PDF Documents Easily with WPS Office
Avoid freezing interfaces and system unresponsiveness. Quickly add digital or handwritten signatures to your PDF documents using the built-in, lightweight PDF tools in WPS Office.
- 1. Open Your PDF: Launch WPS Office and open the PDF document you need to sign.
- 2. Navigate to the Fill & Sign Tool: Click on the 'Fill & Sign' tab or the 'Insert' tab located in the top ribbon, then click on 'Sign'.
- 3. Create Your Signature: Choose to draw your signature, type it out, or upload an image of your existing handwritten signature.
- 4. Apply and Save: Click on the document to place your signature in the desired location, adjust the size if necessary, and save your file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Adobe Acrobat freeze when I try to sign a document?
Freezing during the signing process is often caused by a software glitch in the modern signature interface, outdated application files, or conflicts with the operating system, particularly on versions like macOS Mojave.
Can a corrupted PDF cause Acrobat to show a black screen?
Yes, file-specific corruption or complex layered elements can trigger application errors. Always test the signature feature on a blank or different PDF to determine if the issue is isolated to a single file.
How do I update Adobe Acrobat to see if it fixes the issue?
Go to the Help menu at the top of the Adobe Acrobat application and select 'Check for Updates'. Installing the latest version ensures you have all recent bug patches and performance improvements.
