How do I turn on Protected View on macOS?

I am using Acrobat on macOS 15.2. I have also tried Acrobat Reader on macOS 26.6, neither of them works.

It seems that Protected View is only available on Windows. What is the purpose of Privileged Locations on the Preferences?

Hello @RobertWang,

I hope you are doing well, and thanks for reaching out. We're sorry for the trouble you had.

Could you please share more details about the issue?

Are you using Acrobat, or the freeware Acrobat Reader desktop app? What is the version of macOS installed? Can you please share a screenshot of the preferences window you get?

The path to access the Sandbox protection preferences is Acrobat > Preferences > Security (Enhanced) > You can turn on/off the Protected View. Check this article for more information: https://adobe.ly/4wvMSG5

Also, please ensure you have the latest version of Acrobat installed on the machine: 26.001.21745, Planned update, Jul 23, 2026. Check for any pending updates by navigating to Menu > Help> Check for Updates. Install the updates, restart the app and the machine, and try again.

You may also try resetting the Acrobat/Reader app preferences once, and rebooting the machine. To reset the preferences, please check this article: https://adobe.ly/4yKFVCx

Please try these suggestions, and let us know how it goes. Reach out to us if you need any assistance.

Regards,

Anand Sri.