Fix Adobe Reader Not Opening PDFs on Mac
Question details
The user is unable to launch or view PDF files by clicking on them using Adobe Reader on a MacBook Air.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Opening a PDF document by double-clicking the file in macOS Finder.
- Observed behavior
- Adobe Reader does not start, or fails to display the document window when the user clicks the PDF file.
Before proceeding, try opening the document with Apple's built-in Preview app to ensure the PDF file itself is not corrupted or damaged.
Reveal Hidden Reader Windows
Sometimes Adobe Reader is successfully launching the PDF, but the document window is hidden behind other applications or placed off-screen.
If you click a PDF and nothing appears to happen, the application might be running in the background. macOS allows application windows to be minimized or hidden out of standard view. Using the Window menu can bring them back to the center of your screen.
Go to your Mac's Applications folder or use Spotlight Search to open Adobe Acrobat Reader directly, without clicking a specific PDF file.
Click on 'File' in the top menu bar, select 'Open', and choose a few different PDF files to load into the application.
Navigate to the top menu bar, click on 'Window', select 'Cascade', and then select 'Tile'. This will force all active Reader windows to rearrange and appear on your current display.
Reinstall Adobe Acrobat Reader
If the application refuses to launch entirely, the software installation might be corrupted and requires a fresh install.
Seamlessly Open and Edit PDFs on Mac with WPS Office
If your current PDF reader frequently crashes or fails to open files, try WPS Office. It provides a built-in, lightweight PDF reader and editor that flawlessly handles all PDF documents on macOS.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Download and install the WPS Office suite for Mac from the official website.
- 2. Open your PDF file: Right-click the PDF file that won't open, hover over 'Open With', and select WPS Office.
- 3. Set as default: To make WPS your default reader, right-click a PDF, choose 'Get Info', select WPS Office under 'Open with', and click 'Change All'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Mac open PDFs in Preview instead of Adobe Reader?
macOS uses Preview as the default application for viewing PDFs. To change this, right-click any PDF file, select 'Get Info', choose Adobe Reader from the 'Open with' dropdown menu, and click 'Change All' to apply this setting system-wide.
How can I force quit Adobe Reader if it freezes while opening a PDF?
If the application becomes unresponsive, press Option + Command + Esc on your keyboard to open the Force Quit Applications window. Select Adobe Acrobat Reader from the list and click 'Force Quit'.
Are there other free PDF readers available for Mac?
Yes. Aside from Apple's built-in Preview app, you can use WPS Office. WPS Office is free to download and includes a powerful, stable PDF viewer and editor alongside its word processing and spreadsheet tools.
