How to Fix the Adobe Resource Synchronizer Keychain Prompt on Mac
Question details
Users experience repeated requests for confidential keychain information from the Adobe Resource Synchronizer when creating or updating PDF files on macOS.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Creating, viewing, or updating PDFs using Adobe software on a Mac.
- Observed behavior
- The Adobe Resource Synchronizer repeatedly prompts for keychain access. Additional background glitches like disappearing mouse cursors or flashing windows at Mac startup may also occur.
Ensure you have administrator privileges on your Mac, as you will need them to terminate background system processes and modify application package contents.
Terminate and Remove Adobe Resource Synchronizer
This is the most effective method for stopping the persistent keychain prompts and background glitches associated with the Synchronizer.
Removing the synchronizer app from the package contents prevents it from launching automatically. Note that this may affect some Adobe background synchronization features to the Document Cloud, but users report no harmful consequences to core local PDF functionality.
Open 'Activity Monitor' on your Mac from the Utilities folder. Search for 'Adobe Synchronizer', select the process, and click the Stop (X) button at the top to force quit it.
Go to your Applications folder, find your Adobe Acrobat or Reader app icon, right-click (or Control-click) it, and select 'Show Package Contents' from the context menu.
In the new Finder window, use the search bar to find 'Synchronizer'. Ensure you are searching specifically within that package window rather than the entire hard drive. Once found, delete the Synchronizer application file.
Open 'System Preferences' (or System Settings), navigate to 'Users & Groups', select your account, and go to the 'Login Items' tab. Select the Synchronizer entry (which may now show a yellow warning triangle) and click the minus (-) button to remove it completely.
Verify and Reset Keychain Credentials
If you prefer not to delete application files, you can try resetting your keychain password first to satisfy the prompt.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Adobe Resource Synchronizer?
It is a background process installed alongside Adobe Acrobat and Reader designed to sync your documents and application data with Adobe Document Cloud. However, it can sometimes glitch on macOS and cause persistent keychain prompts.
Will deleting the Synchronizer ruin my Adobe Acrobat software?
No. Deleting the Adobe Resource Synchronizer from the package contents will only disable background syncing features for Adobe Document Cloud. Your core local PDF viewing and editing functions will continue to work normally.
Why does my Mac mouse cursor disappear when Adobe starts?
This is a known glitch related to the Adobe Resource Synchronizer running hidden in the background at startup. Removing the Synchronizer from your Login Items and terminating it in Activity Monitor resolves this cursor issue.
How do I permanently remove an app from Mac Login Items?
Go to System Preferences (or System Settings) > Users & Groups > Login Items. Click the application you want to remove to highlight it, then click the minus (-) button below the list. Simply unchecking the box only hides the app at startup but still allows it to run in the background.
