Other PDF Issues

How to Fix Acrobat Pro DC Dictionary Pack Missing on Mac

John WilsonJohn Wilson Oct 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to find a compatible dictionary pack for Acrobat Pro DC on Mac to enable spell checking.

Fixing the Missing Acrobat Pro DC Dictionary Pack for Mac
Product
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
Device & OS
macOS
Scenario
Attempting to use the spell check feature in Acrobat Pro DC on a Mac.
Observed behavior
Acrobat displays a 'No dictionaries were found' error, and dictionary packages intended for Adobe Reader DC fail to resolve the issue.
Before you start

Ensure you have an active internet connection to download any necessary updates from Adobe, and save your current PDF progress before modifying application settings or reinstalling.

Solution 1Recommended

Update Acrobat and Check Spelling Preferences

Verifying your language settings and updating the software often restores missing built-in dictionaries.

1
Check for Updates

Open Acrobat Pro DC on your Mac and navigate to 'Help' > 'Check for Updates' to install the latest version.

2
Open Preferences

Go to 'Acrobat' > 'Preferences' from the top menu bar, or press Cmd+,

3
Navigate to Spelling

Select 'Spelling' from the left-hand categories pane.

4
Verify Dictionaries

Check if any languages are listed under the 'Dictionaries' section. Ensure your target language is checked and set as default.

Update Acrobat and Check Spelling Preferences
Reader Compatibility: Dictionary packs explicitly labeled for Adobe Reader DC are often incompatible with Acrobat Pro DC.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the Adobe Reader DC dictionary pack not work in Acrobat Pro DC?

Adobe Reader DC and Acrobat Pro DC have different software architectures and directory structures. A dictionary pack built for the free Reader version lacks the necessary integration files to function within the Pro environment.

Where are Acrobat dictionaries stored on a Mac?

Dictionaries for Adobe Acrobat on macOS are typically located within the application package itself. You can find them by navigating to Applications > Adobe Acrobat DC, right-clicking the app, selecting 'Show Package Contents,' and looking under Contents > Resources > Linguistics.

Can I use legacy Acrobat XI dictionary packs in Acrobat Pro DC?

No, legacy dictionary packs from Acrobat Professional XI are not compatible with the modern Acrobat Pro DC framework and will result in the 'No dictionaries were found' error.

Does WPS Office support spell checking in PDFs?

Yes, WPS Office includes integrated spell-checking capabilities when you are editing text within a PDF document, eliminating the need to manually install standalone dictionary packages.