Catalina does not support Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

The fact that SOME of you seem to have it working does NOT mean that it is fixed !!!!

Actually, that's exactly what it means.

I have moved to Catalina full time as of the 10.15.1 update. I've installed only the CC 2020 apps I use (which is quite a few). All of them work as expected. There are a few minor bugs, but no serious issues that I can see, and none at all I've run across in Acrobat DC Pro.

It's virtually a 100% chance the problem is your Mac. There always room for bugs that only affect certain Mac models, so I won't rule that out.

How did you install Catalina? If you installed it over a previous OS, that is something I never, ever do. Yes, it takes time to install a new OS to its own partition, then all of your third party apps and set everything up to your liking. But, I also quite literally never see even 1% of the issues folks report here. It also gives you a very easy way out by being able to boot to the previous OS if you do run across a true bug or other issue that needs to be ironed out before you start using the new OS full time.

Things to try:

1. Create a new user account and login to it. Do the apps work as expected there? If yes, the problem is with the other account.
2. If it's the same, it's a system wide issue.

If the issue continues into any user account, even a new one. Break part of your drive off into a blank partition. Install Catalina onto it clean. Login to your Adobe account, install the Creative Cloud controller app, and then Acrobat DC Pro. If it doesn't work correctly there, you may have a hardware issue.

You are one of the most unlikeable people I have ever seen on these forums. And I've seen a lot of very impolite people here.

1. I've been using computers since dumb terminals connected to a remote mainframe. Bought an IBM XT clone when they first became available. Have used all kinds of computers and OS's since then.
2. Reading doesn't seem to be your strong point. I know perfectly well what a clean install is. I also very clearly explained that some users think a clean install is just reinstalling the OS. I was trying to find out what your definition of a clean install is. Believe it or not, no one here can read your mind, or see what you've tried.
3. Again, no luck was involved and the entire concept of "luck" doesn't exist. It worked because it worked. That's it.

Sorry you're having problems, but that's not my fault. Take your angst out on Adobe, or whoever you want to say is the reason you're having problems today.

No, the problem is Adobe Acrobat Pro DC does not support Catalina. You should have checked your app compatibility before upgrading the OS. Revert to Mojave using your backup that you created before upgrading.

Bob - Firstly the information regarding Acrobat DC is NOT CLEAR at all - we know that Acrobat X1/X11 doesnt work but DC is not properly defined as having an issue. In fact the issue is not DC it is actually distiller (part of it) which stupid arrogant Adobe have refused to update eventhough they have known for the last year that any 32bit app will not work on Catalina !!! (also the present cracks fail as well - but that will also be fixed soon) - be patient all of you, It will be fixed soon once Adobe relaise that they are p***ing us all off - for now use PDF Expert which other than creating pdf from scratch is probably better - personally its prob time for Adobe to fall off the shelf ! They do something like this EVERY time Apple launch a new OS !!!! ........ PS and LightRoom Classic "seem" to be working ok for now tho - LOL

[Edited by Moderator]

I just spent more than 30 minutes in a chat with two different reps from Adobe about my Acrobat Pro DC subscription. The first person told me all I had to do was "update" my Adobe software. But then after going around and around, the second person actually said "If you are Mojave it won't be any problem but I am not sure about Catalina our engineers are still working on it they haven't tested the application yet." I replied that this has been known for a very long time. He actually gave me a link to a "Feature request form." He suggested I just "try it" after switching to Catalina. I explained that I was doing my due diligence before switching my operating system. And then he said I should just keep using Mojave. Adobe has done a TERRIBLE job with communication on this issue. It's not like I'm using some free version. This is infuriating.

Acrobat DC Pro's distiller is reported to be 64 bit according to the MacOS's System Information. Even then I've learned never to swap out a perfectly working MacOS for one just released on a Mac that I depend on.

Acrobat Distiller:

Version: 19.012.20040

Obtained from: Identified Developer

Last Modified: 9/17/19, 7:58 PM

Kind: Intel

64-Bit (Intel): Yes

Signed by: Developer ID Application: Adobe Systems, Inc. (JQ525L2MZD), Developer ID Certification Authority, Apple Root CA

Location: /Applications/Adobe Acrobat DC/Acrobat Distiller.app

Get Info String: Acrobat Distiller™ 19.012.20040, ©1984 -2019 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved.

Thanks - it's been frustrating trying to figure this out - I will wait before loading new OS in the future. Apple and Adobe need to get over this ******* match - they're both losing the faith of their customers.

V 48 does contain a 64 bit ver of distiller HOWEVER - there are still issues with DC Pro - on one of my machines when you click on the about screen the prog hangs and crashes - THREE days trying to get SOMEONE in Adobe who doesnt have an Indian accent and keeps apologising !!!!! - eventually got a call back appt - except they decided to miss it and do it 24 hrs later when I wasnt free !!!! - PROBABLY THE WORST company with the WORST customer service ANYWHERE on the internet ........ and for all you "shouldnt have installed it yet" please STOP - I speak and READ ENGLISH correctly after 65 years and there is nothing that says it doesnt now work - in fact ALL the verbage clearly INFERS that it SHOULD WORK - BUT of course it doesnt. The fact that SOME of you seem to have it working does NOT mean that it is fixed !!!! - so we wait, and wait :(

For years I've known the pain of the .0 release. Drivers break, apps break. The illusion is that Adobe and other third parties are ready first day of release is just that. So some advice:

Upgrading strategies:

1. Don't make a major upgrade of your operating system as soon as the OS is released. Mojave-to-Catalina is a major upgrade. You can tell by the version numbering. Example using Mojave: 
Mojave Release‎: ‎10.14.6 
10 = OS 10 
.14 = Major release version
.6 = Minor incremental update (usually called a "bug fix")

2. Catalina is version 10.15.0.
Wait until 10.15.1 is released and some of the bugs have been worked out.

3. Don't do a major upgrade while you're working on critical projects, deadlines, etc.

4. Wait until your major software apps have been upgraded  after the OS's upgrade. That's usually 1-4 months later (they have to work out their bugs, too). No software manufacturer can program in advance all the things needed for a new release in the operating system. They do not have crystal balls about future operating systems or magic wands that fix things instantly.

5. Check the websites of your major software apps. Look for wording that specifically says your version is compatible with Apple Catalina OS 10.15.  If they don't say anything about Catalina, then they haven't finished retooling their software to work with Catalina.

6. Install the upgrade on another computer, like a spare laptop, and test if for a few weeks to see how well it works with your main software applications.

7. Ask the wise folks here for advice.

Hopefully, the discussion here can help avoid the pain down the road.

Yeah doh - exactly why I said to the numby know it alls STOP !!! In any event Catalina IS working on 99% of every app without issues and Catalina has been updated and READ THE ADOBE STUFF CAREFULLY it is in fact very misleading ! Furthermore - according to Adobe themselves when i spoke to them 2 days ago the ver 48 is supposed to be fully Catalina compatible - these kind of posts are just NOT helpful and not practical - you SHOULD UPGRADE - and you should not have to wait - adobe policy is NOT to beta test any OSX and they will only start to look at it on release - it’s a pathetic game they play with Apple and their time is limited now with better and easier apps to use for graphics and pdfs !

We are now 17/Nov and it looks like Adobe still hasn't fixed this issue. From my Adobe account I can download my earlier orders. So I directly downloaded my Adobe Acrobat DC dmg file from their server... But the installation hangs almost immediately. I don't know what to do now. Wait for Adobe to fix or abandon and look for an alternative. For home usage I don't want to spent another 20€ monthly subscription for working with pdf files ;-( With kind regards, A@Belgium

I’ve been in this for 3 weeks now - the problem is basically that it works ok on some macs but not others - the fault is ENTIRELY adobe :( I have tried ALL possible solutions - do NOT bother with a clean install - that doesn’t fix it .... forget all know-it-all’s advice and comments - most of these posters don’t understand you or your problem especially when they are one of the lucky muppets that got it working !!! Lol. In my case I have it working on my wife’s MacBook and on my MacBook pro full spec it crashes ever time I go to about ...... yeah I know - don’t go to about !!!! I have spoken to adobe 6 times now and apart from me having to learn Urdu I can tell you that they are the most useless and unprofessional bunch of idiots on earth - I have 3 different people dealing with the case and my 8 year old granddaughter knows more about computers and software than that do !!!! Adobe do NOT work on beta software which means that they are the ONLY digeste house that refuses to prepare for a new OSX even though the beta software is made available to them by Apple up to a year before - so in Adobes case they won’t admit it but they have only been working on compatibility issues for 3 weeks odd now. I’m afraid you will just have to wait ..... what we should all do is take a class action suit against Adobe - they are borderline crooks taking our money for this rubbish software .......

do NOT bother with a clean install - that doesn’t fix it

What are you calling a "clean install"? To some, that only means they reinstalled the OS over the OS that was already there. That's not even close to the same thing as installing the OS on an erased drive or partition. Did you try doing this?

forget all know-it-all’s advice and comments

I'm guessing that's supposed to be me? You're talking to other users here. None of us has to spend one tiny moment of our time trying to help anyone. These kinds of comments are a sure way to make sure no one bothers speaking to you.

when they are one of the lucky muppets that got it working !!!

There was no luck involved. I installed Catalina on an erased partition. I installed my third party software. It worked. No extra effort was needed to make that happen.

yeah I know - don’t go to about !!!!

Silly me, I did. And … nothing happened. Other than seeing the about dialogue box.

You are not helpful ! I have been using computers since probably you were in Nappy’s and I spoke Unix probably before you spoke English .... trust me that when I tell you and everyone else that I have tried everything then it means just that ..... and if you don’t know what a clean install is then I’m certainly not going to explain it to you ..... for the sake of repeating myself to people that are having issues I will just say that if you have it working (like my wife does on her entry level MacBook) then you are lucky - if you can’t get it working then there is NOTHING you can do except wait for Adobe to make it completely compatible with ALL macs ...... that’s it ! I’m not going to advise people to try the obvious solutions when they will not work !

These comments of yours should also be addressed:

you SHOULD UPGRADE - and you should not have to wait - adobe policy is NOT to beta test any OSX and they will only start to look at it on release

For someone who's been using computers as long as yourself, surely you've heard of the word bugs? Have you even seen any major OS or app release that didn't have any? I sure haven't.

The makers of Quark XPress always wait until the official release of the next major version of macOS before they release compatibility updates for older versions. Yes, they start working on it beforehand, but every developer knows last minute changes can break the updates you've prepared. That's what Quark does. They test the updates they have against the official OS release to see if anything Apple did at the virtual last second causes them to have to address the updates so they only have to release them once.

trust me that when I tell you and everyone else that I have tried everything

Well, there's one thing you obviously haven't tried. Again, as a long-time computer user, it only seems logical you would know to first have a full, restorable backup of your drive on hand before applying a major OS upgrade. The solution? Quit hitting yourself over the head with the problems you're facing with Catalina and restore your backup.