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Participant
October 16, 2025
Question

Recovering Adobe Acrobat Pro on a new computer (following a theft)

  • October 16, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 216 views

My 16“ MacBook Pro, purchased in May 2020, was stolen. I bought a new 14” MacBook Pro (M4 chip). After restoring (migrating) the contents from TimeMachine, I am having problems with Adobe Acrobat 2020 (Acrobat Pro), which I purchased in June 2020 with the stolen computer: it is as if I did not have a license, even though it was advertised as perpetual.
When I open Adobe Acrobat Pro, the app closes immediately (without even opening) to open another app called “AcroLicApp,” which displays a “Login required” window asking me to log in to an Adobe account. However, I had obtained my license with a personal account that no longer seems to work: when I enter my address and password, the window disappears without anything happening (even though this account is still active for the old Adobe Licensing Website app that I used to download the software). When I try again now, I can retrieve the Acrobat 2020 disk image, but the installation asks me for the serial number, which I don't know and which the Adobe Licensing Website app can't find (it says they are kept for three years). So there's no way to open AcrobatPro, which worked fine on the stolen computer.
Could you tell me how to retrieve the serial number, if that's what I need to do, or how to prevent the “AcroLicApp” window from opening?
I should point out that after restoring the Mac, Acrobat Pro worked, but I don't know what action (perhaps opening Acrobat Reader with a PDF file) caused me to no longer be able to open it without having to log in, which I am unable to do.
Since Adobe Acrobat 2020 worked without logging in, some action must have activated a background application or a file in Preferences or elsewhere. But I can't figure out what it is, so I can't prevent this “AcroLicApp” window from opening.

3 replies

Participant
October 24, 2025

I finally found my serial number on the Licensing Website and was able to reinstall AcrobatPro. Thank you for your help.

kglad
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 24, 2025

thanks for the update and good news.

John T Smith
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 17, 2025

For serial number programs you may download only if you bought direct from Adobe
-Log in to your Adobe account and click this link https://account.adobe.com/products
--you do, of course, need to log in using the account you used for your purchase
--IF a download is available there will be a Download button under the program name

 

That does not mean a program from 2020 will install on your new Mac

kglad
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 17, 2025

actually, you should restore your new computer to it's pre-time machine state.

 

then properly install acrobat and (hopefully) activate it.

try67
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 16, 2025

Go here and deactivate Acrobat on the stolen device:

https://account.adobe.com/activated-devices

 

Participant
October 16, 2025

Thank you. But I had checked. No activated accounts appear.

kglad
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 16, 2025

you shouldn't use time machine with adobe apps. the serial number doesn't jibe with your hardware.