Fix Adobe Acrobat Pro DC Not Installing on Apple Silicon Macs
Question details
The user is unable to install or find Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and Reader via Creative Cloud on Mac computers with Apple Silicon chips.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Attempting to install or launch Adobe Acrobat Pro DC or Acrobat Reader on a Mac with an M-series Apple Silicon chip and macOS Big Sur or newer.
- Observed behavior
- The installation is refused due to Apple Silicon compatibility errors, or the Acrobat app does not appear in the Creative Cloud desktop client despite Rosetta 2 being available.
Ensure your Mac is connected to the internet and verify that macOS is updated to the latest version to guarantee optimal compatibility with Rosetta 2 and Adobe software.
Download Acrobat Directly and Ensure Rosetta 2 is Installed
Bypass Creative Cloud to download the standalone installer and ensure Apple's Rosetta 2 translation environment is active for the installation.
Acrobat Reader is not included within the standard Creative Cloud desktop application. To avoid installation blocks on Apple Silicon, you must download the software directly from Adobe's official site and rely on Rosetta 2 if the native Apple Silicon installer is not automatically served.
Navigate to the official Adobe website using your web browser and download the standalone installer for Acrobat Pro DC or Acrobat Reader.
Open the Terminal app on your Mac (found in Applications > Utilities) and run the command 'softwareupdate --install-rosetta --agree-to-license' to ensure Rosetta 2 is fully installed.
Double-click the downloaded Adobe installer file and follow the on-screen prompts. macOS will automatically utilize Rosetta 2 to complete the installation if the package is not fully native.
Update macOS and the Creative Cloud Desktop App
Outdated system software or an outdated Creative Cloud client can block the installation of legacy or transitioning Adobe apps on Apple Silicon.
Edit PDFs Natively on Apple Silicon with WPS Office
Skip the compatibility issues and Rosetta 2 workarounds. WPS Office provides a fully optimized, native Mac application that includes a powerful PDF editor to view, annotate, and manage your PDF files seamlessly on Apple Silicon Macs.
- 1. Download WPS Office for Mac: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the Mac version, which is natively compiled and optimized for Apple Silicon.
- 2. Install the Application: Open the downloaded .dmg file and simply drag the WPS Office icon into your Applications folder.
- 3. Open and Edit Your PDF: Launch WPS Office from your Launchpad or Applications folder, select the PDF tab, and open your file to start editing immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't Adobe Acrobat Reader show up in Creative Cloud?
Adobe Acrobat Reader is a free, standalone application and is not included in the standard Creative Cloud subscription bundle. It must be downloaded directly from the official Adobe Acrobat Reader download page.
Do I need to buy a perpetual license to use Acrobat on macOS Big Sur?
No. While older versions of Acrobat might have compatibility issues on macOS Big Sur, the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Pro DC available via your Creative Cloud subscription is fully compatible with Apple Silicon and modern macOS versions.
Is Adobe Acrobat Pro DC natively compatible with Apple Silicon Macs?
Yes, Adobe has rolled out native Apple Silicon support for Acrobat Pro DC. However, if you are installing an older version or facing specific installer glitches, macOS will seamlessly utilize Rosetta 2 to run the application until it is fully updated.
