How to Fix Blank Acrobat Print Preview on macOS Mojave
Question details
Users experience a blank print preview in Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Pro DC after upgrading to macOS Mojave, despite the document displaying and printing correctly.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat / Acrobat Pro DC
- Device & OS
- macOS Mojave 10.14
- Scenario
- Attempting to print a PDF document and viewing the preview in the system print dialog.
- Observed behavior
- The print preview window appears completely blank in the print dialog box, even though the PDF is visible in the main application and prints normally to the physical printer.
Before troubleshooting, ensure that your printer is powered on, properly connected to your Mac, and that you have saved any open PDF documents.
Install the Latest macOS and Acrobat Updates
Installing the latest software patches often resolves display and compatibility issues introduced by new macOS versions like Mojave.
Software updates frequently contain bug fixes for graphical glitches between third-party applications and the macOS operating system.
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner, select 'System Preferences', and click 'Software Update'. Install any available updates for macOS Mojave.
Open Adobe Acrobat, click 'Help' in the top menu bar, and select 'Check for Updates'. Follow the prompts to download and install the latest patches.
Click the Apple menu and select 'Restart' to ensure all system and application updates are fully applied.
Open a PDF in Acrobat and press Command + P to check if the print preview renders correctly.
Reset Adobe Acrobat Preferences
Corrupted preference files can cause unexpected display glitches in the print dialog and can be easily reset.
Print PDFs Flawlessly with WPS Office for Mac
Avoid macOS compatibility issues and blank print previews by using WPS Office. Its built-in PDF tool offers a seamless printing experience, robust editing features, and full compatibility on your Mac.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Download and install the free WPS Office application for Mac from the official website.
- 2. Open Your PDF: Launch WPS Office and click 'Open' to select the PDF document you need to print.
- 3. Access Print Settings: Click on 'Menu' and select 'Print', or use the Command + P keyboard shortcut.
- 4. View Print Preview: Observe the fully functional print preview provided natively by WPS Office and adjust your print settings as needed.
- 5. Print Document: Click the 'Print' button to confidently send your document to the printer exactly as it appears on screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my PDF print correctly even when the print preview is blank in Acrobat?
This happens due to a graphical rendering glitch between Adobe Acrobat and the macOS Mojave print dialog UI. The actual print data sent to your printer spooler remains intact, which allows the physical printout to process normally.
Can I use Mac Preview to print PDFs instead of Acrobat?
Yes. The built-in Apple Preview app usually does not suffer from this specific Adobe glitch. You can right-click your PDF file, select 'Open With', choose 'Preview', and print from there to see a functional print preview.
Does this blank preview issue affect Acrobat Reader as well?
Yes, both Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and the free Adobe Acrobat Reader can experience this blank print preview issue on macOS Mojave due to shared rendering components.
