Just upgraded to Big Sur OS, and pdfs wont open

If you right-click (Control-click) on a PDF you should see a menu appear. The second option is open with... submenu. Is there anything set as default? and do you have any applications listed in the submenu?

Also you can open preview (just launch the application first and then from the file menu select open and try to open a PDF. Are you able to do this as well.

Let me know your results. My guess is that there is no default for PDF files. We can set one.

I hope this helps.

Paul

Hello Shaner808,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. We understand that you're having some issues opening PDF files after installing Big Sur.

Are you able to open these same files in another location such as Finder or does this occur in every app that you use for PDF files?

Try starting in safe mode and see if your files can be opened from there. That will help to isolate this to your user account or system-wide. Reference How to use safe mode on your Mac for details on how to start in safe mode and use your results to proceed.

Thanks!

Thanks all for your comments.

After upgrading macOS Big Sur, I noted that this issue of not opening my pdf documents is happening after starting my computer from shut down or sleep. But if acrobat reader app once opened after log in, the document will open immediately. Interrestingly the problem will not recur even if you quite the Reader from file menus as far as you did not log out, shut down the Mac or went to sleep!

Sometimes, before opening any document, I opened the Acrobat Reader app then open the document/documents I want to open by clicking on them with no problem.

I am not sure if it is the reader compatibility with the new OS or the OS causing the problem.

Looking forward to solving this problem as we used to ease of use of Mac.

I'm currently using PDF Expert to open PDFs on my system with no issues. That got me thinking have you tried other 3rd party apps besides Adobe Acrobat Reader? PDFPen is another good app to try.

I think the issue maybe caused by either a corrupt preference file or permission wonkiness somewhere. We could try deleting the perference file(s) for either preview or adobe acrobat.

Paul

I had this problem, so I signed into the adobe web portal via google chrome and ended my mac session. This allowed me to re- log in from the app and it is now back working.

I have been dealing with Apple with this exact issue for the past 3 weeks. While I have an upper tech working with me, I have been asked to send numerous files, recordings, screenshots...and the only resolve I received to date, was...my files are corrupt and I need to re-download!!! Or that I had incorrectly downloaded or moved the PDF files...seriously!! OR, that this was a Dropbox issue because that is where I choose to save my files.

I was insistent that the issue is on their end and a software glitch because my files are part of a 2 year old project that I can open from my desktop, (Catalina), my iPhone, my iPad...just not on the laptop they insisted I update as a resolve to an entirely different issue. I told them their response was unacceptable for these reasons. And while they kept telling me there were no known issues, I finally found this thread on their boards and showed them.

Just yesterday, my tech contacted me to setup yet another appointment, and while I was unavailable at the time I did ask if she could just email me with any update....nothing. However, just this am, I went to file a new PDF and decided to check my files and Voila!, things appear to be working. I am still a bit leary as I cannot possibly check everything at once...but you may want to take another look. My Big Sur is 11.2, and my default viewer is Preview.

I am hopeful that they finally found a resolve...just not 100% confident that all is resolved. Time will tell, and I will post again when I finally hear back from my tech as to their "updated information".

And fyi...this update also "broke" my superduper! mirror image backup software, which I have used painlessly for years along with Time Machine. Not happy about that, but I believe in redundant backups, so I have other methods that still work.

Good luck!

Reinstall the latest Adobe Reader.

I have the same problem (amongst others with Big Sur). When I right click, the default app is Adobe Acrobat which should work. It worked yesterday!!! And today, it's not working.

Big Sur has so many bugs. I regret the upgrade every day.

I was able to open my PDF using Preview, but this is not optimal. I also do not have the time to restart my system in safe mode. I tried it a few days ago...when the same issue happened, and it did not work. The magically, PDFs opened the following day, but not today.

I also am having problems on ALL 3 of my Macs (this iMac, a new MacPro 4, and a Macbook Pro) with mail. I can no longer search for emails AND my mailboxes will be empty (but not all the time), will be slow at downloading on one machine but not another. It's crazy making. Can you tell I am frustrated? I am running a business and thank heavens I have 3 Macs to work on after Big Sur. I wish I could uninstall it.

Please let me know what I can do about these PDFs, Mac Mail, and oh, there are some issues on two of my Macs with Photoshop CC 2019. Thanks for listening. HELP!

I have the same issue and have been working for more than 2 weeks with an upper level engineer with no resolve. She had me download adobe and the pdf’s still cannot be opened. The issue is NOT a corrupt file...rather, these exact files can be opened from my desktop with no issue. It was only after the upgrade to Big Sur...to resolve a different issue...that this issue came up.

I believe this is a glitch in their software...and am hoping that they work to resolve it, rather than stay with the comment that I need to re-download 2.5 years worth of work...seriously!!!

Acrobat is expecting to join PDFs, not .jpgs. Easy solution, convert your jpgs to pdf first, then repeat your process. Btw, you dont need Adobe Acrobat to do this, OSX's Preview app can do it all....

And here I am with a $100,000 pdf file from my architect that won’t open on my MacBook with Big Sur! Just spins in an iCloud icon like it’s loading, then... nothing!

I figured I’d install the update that was released today for Big Sur, but that won’t download and just hangs up. Get you act together, Apple! I have 20 of these laptops!

Added to this issue, I am facing two more issues:

1. When I am trying to use "save as..." option to save some file as PDF, sometimes the save as dialog box opens and allows me to save and sometimes it just opens with a blank dialog box with NO input options.
2. I am not able to e-sign any PDF documents using the fill and sign options from the tool section.

I still am not able to find any solutions to the above mentioned problems. Please help!

Hi ShomMitra,

1. <<When I am trying to use "save as..." option to save some file as PDF, sometimes the save as dialog box opens and allows me to save and sometimes it just opens with a blank dialog box with NO input options.

>>

Im seeing this issue too on a Mac that includes MS Office 365 and Adobe Acrobat DC. If you also have these two apps installed, do you by chance have the ability to post a snapshot of what that dialog box looks like?

The steps are:

launch any MS Office for Mac app (such as Powerpoint).

Find the Acrobat tab at the top of the Powerpoint tabs bar. Click it

You should now see two Acrobat associated buttons on the left

Click the Preferences button

Expected result: On Catalina systems, a dialog does appear, allowing you to select various export attributes such as the resolution of the images associated in your Powerpoint deck

Actual result: in Big Sur - the button when clicked does nothing, no options appear whatever.

So the question is - what does a "normal" dialog look like (would take an image from either Catalina or Big Sur).

Very grateful to you in advance if you have the time and inclination...

Also, if anybody on copy knows why Big Sur seems to have broken this functionality, and any suitable workaround...

Hi NITEBOATER,

Thanks for responding.

I guess I have not explained my issue with proper clarity. I am not concerned about any MS-office applications like excel or word as I am not trying to save any MS-Ofc file as a PDF.

What I am trying, is to create a PDF file by binding two or more non PDF files, say - two JPG files. After successfully binding those two JPG files, when I am trying to save my work, I don't get any save as... options to do so.

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Worse down load ever sometimes the PDF file opens, get all my work in Pdf can't print some times also some times prints in mirror affect unbelievable.

Wish I never had this and would recommend no body use it have four other Mac's in the office and will not be using on them