Fix Adobe Acrobat Reusing Old Files in the Combine Files Dialog
Question details
Users experience an issue where Adobe Acrobat Pro retains and re-adds a list of previously combined files instead of processing newly selected files.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Attempting to merge new PDF documents using the Combine Files tool by dragging and dropping.
- Observed behavior
- Dragging a new file into the dialog restores the old list of files from a previous session instead of adding the selected file.
Ensure your macOS and Adobe Acrobat application are fully updated, and save any ongoing work before proceeding with preference resets or restarts.
Use the Add Files Button and Clear the List Manually
Bypass the drag-and-drop glitch by using the built-in interface buttons and clearing out the cached file list manually.
The drag-and-drop functionality in Acrobat on macOS can sometimes trigger a caching glitch, causing the app to pull up the previous session's file list. Using the manual selection method often prevents this behavior.
Launch Acrobat Pro, navigate to the Tools menu, and select Combine Files.
If the old list appears, select all files currently in the dialog and click the 'Remove' (trash can) icon to clear the workspace.
Close the Combine Files tool completely, then reopen it from the Tools menu to ensure a fresh session.
Instead of dragging and dropping your new PDFs, click the 'Add Files' button at the top center of the dialog, browse to your new files, and select them.
Reset Acrobat Preferences on macOS
Clear corrupted application preferences that are forcing Acrobat to remember previous sessions.
Run the Acrobat Repair Tool
Fix underlying software installation issues that cause the Combine Files dialog to malfunction.
Combine PDFs Easily and Flawlessly with WPS Office
Tired of dealing with caching bugs and complex dialog windows? WPS Office provides a reliable, lightweight alternative for combining, editing, and converting PDFs, alongside excellent Microsoft Office format compatibility.
- 1. Open WPS Office: Launch WPS Office on your Mac and switch to the PDF tool section.
- 2. Select Merge PDF: Click on the 'Merge PDF' tool located on the homepage or under the PDF Edit tab.
- 3. Add and Combine: Simply drag and drop your new files into the clean dialog box, arrange their order, and click 'Merge' to create your new document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Acrobat remember my previous files when merging PDFs?
Acrobat caches data from your recent Combine Files sessions to help users quickly resume interrupted tasks. Sometimes, a software glitch or corrupted preference file prevents this cache from clearing when you start a new task.
Does dragging and dropping files cause the glitch in Acrobat?
Yes, on macOS, a known UI bug in Acrobat can trigger the application to restore the cached file list specifically when using the drag-and-drop action rather than the 'Add Files' dialog button.
Where are the Acrobat preference files located on a Mac?
Acrobat preferences are stored in the user Library folder. You can find them by opening Finder, holding the Option key, clicking 'Go', selecting 'Library', and opening the 'Preferences' folder to locate 'com.adobe.Acrobat.Pro.plist'.
Will resetting preferences delete my saved PDFs?
No. Resetting Acrobat preferences only restores the application's interface settings, default tool behaviors, and clears session caches. Your saved PDF documents and actual files will not be affected.
