Fix Adobe Acrobat Pro Freezing During Fill and Sign on macOS
Question details
The user needs to resolve an application crash where inserting a signature image causes the software to become unresponsive.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro 2020
- Device & OS
- macOS Big Sur
- Scenario
- Inserting a signature image into a PDF document using the Fill and Sign feature.
- Observed behavior
- The PDF document and submenus become completely blank, the application freezes, and it requires a force-quit to exit.
Make sure to save any open documents in other applications, as troubleshooting this issue requires rebooting your Mac and potentially switching system user accounts.
Restart Mac and Install Acrobat Updates
A simple system reboot and software update can resolve temporary glitches caused by recent macOS upgrades.
Major operating system updates like macOS Big Sur can occasionally cause compatibility issues with existing software versions. Updating your application ensures you have the latest bug fixes from Adobe.
Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select 'Restart' to clear temporary system cache.
Launch Adobe Acrobat Pro 2020 from your Applications folder or Launchpad.
Go to 'Help' in the top menu bar and select 'Check for Updates'. Follow the on-screen prompts to download and install any available patches.
Open your PDF document and attempt to insert your signature image again to verify if the freeze is resolved.
Test Acrobat in a New Administrator Account
Creating a new user account helps determine if the freezing issue is tied to corrupted user profile preferences.
Use WPS Office to Add Signatures to Your PDFs on Mac
If your current PDF editor keeps freezing on macOS Big Sur, switch to WPS Office. It provides a stable, lightweight, and efficient PDF reader and editor that lets you easily fill out forms and insert signature images without crashing.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Download and install the free WPS Office suite for Mac from the official website.
- 2. Open your PDF: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF document using the built-in WPS PDF tool.
- 3. Access Fill & Sign: Navigate to the 'Fill & Sign' tab located on the top toolbar.
- 4. Insert your signature: Click 'Sign', create or import your signature image, and place it seamlessly anywhere on the document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Adobe Acrobat freeze specifically on macOS Big Sur?
Major OS updates like macOS Big Sur can sometimes cause compatibility issues with older software versions, leading to memory conflicts or UI rendering bugs when accessing specific features like Fill and Sign.
How do I force quit Acrobat if the screen goes completely blank?
You can press Command + Option + Esc on your keyboard to open the Force Quit Applications window, select Adobe Acrobat Pro from the list, and click the 'Force Quit' button.
Will reinstalling Acrobat Pro 2020 fix the freezing issue?
Reinstalling can help if the application's core files are corrupted. However, checking for recent patch updates or testing a new Mac administrator account is recommended first to rule out profile conflicts.
