How to Use Native macOS Open and Save Dialogs in Acrobat DC
Question details
The user wants to replace Adobe Acrobat DC's custom file interface with the native macOS Open and Save dialogs to utilize standard system navigation tools.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat DC
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Opening and saving PDF files after upgrading from Acrobat XI Pro to Acrobat DC.
- Observed behavior
- Acrobat DC overrides the native Mac system dialogs with its own custom online storage file browser, preventing the use of standard navigation plugins like Default Folder.
Ensure Adobe Acrobat DC is currently open on your Mac and that you have closed any active dialog boxes before modifying the application preferences.
Disable Online Storage in Acrobat Preferences
By turning off Acrobat's built-in cloud storage interface, you force the application to default back to the standard macOS file browser.
Adobe Acrobat DC introduces a custom file navigation window designed to integrate Adobe Document Cloud and other online storage services. While useful for cloud users, it prevents native macOS enhancements like Default Folder from working.
Disabling this feature is a simple toggle in the preferences menu and takes effect immediately without requiring an app restart.
Launch Adobe Acrobat DC. In the top Apple menu bar, click on 'Acrobat' (or 'Acrobat Reader') and select 'Preferences'. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Cmd + Comma (⌘+,).
In the Preferences window that appears, look at the left-hand sidebar under 'Categories' and click on 'General'.
Scroll down in the main panel until you find the Basic Tools section. Uncheck the boxes next to 'Show online storage when opening files' and 'Show online storage when saving files'.
Click the 'OK' button at the bottom of the Preferences window to save your settings. The next time you press Cmd+O or Cmd+S, Acrobat will use the native macOS dialogs.
Use Native macOS File Dialogs Seamlessly with WPS PDF
If you prefer an application that respects your Mac's native environment out of the box, WPS Office for Mac offers a fast, lightweight PDF reader and editor that flawlessly integrates with standard macOS Open and Save dialogs without manual tweaking.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Get the free WPS Office installer for Mac from the official website and move it to your Applications folder.
- 2. Launch the PDF Tool: Open WPS Office and select the 'PDF' tab from the home dashboard.
- 3. Open a Document: Click 'Open' or press Cmd + O. You will immediately be greeted by the familiar, native macOS file browser.
- 4. Save and Manage: Edit your PDF as needed, then press Cmd + S to save using your preferred Mac folder navigation shortcuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Acrobat DC change the default Open and Save menus?
Adobe introduced a custom file browser to better integrate its Document Cloud services, allowing users to quickly save and open files from Adobe's servers, Google Drive, and OneDrive directly within the app.
Will disabling online storage remove my Adobe Document Cloud files?
No. Disabling this setting only changes the behavior of the Open and Save dialogs. You can still access all your Document Cloud files directly from the Acrobat Home screen.
Does this fix apply to Acrobat Reader DC as well?
Yes. The exact same Preferences menu exists in the free Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. You can uncheck the online storage options there to restore macOS dialogs.
What should I do if the macOS dialogs disappear again?
Sometimes major Adobe updates reset user preferences to their defaults. If this happens, simply navigate back to Preferences > General and uncheck the online storage options again.
