crashes generales + Compare Files macOS

4 replies
48 views
Translate

Adobe Acrobat Pro has been crashing constantly on my Mac, and I am currently unable to use Compare Files at all.

When I compare two PDF files, Acrobat completes the comparison, but as soon as I start reviewing the result, scrolling, or interacting with the comparison, Acrobat freezes or closes unexpectedly.

Acrobat also crashes during regular use outside of Compare Files.

I have already completely uninstalled Acrobat, removed its related files, and reinstalled it, but the issue persists.

System:
MacBook Air 15-inch, M4, 2025
Apple M4
24 GB RAM
macOS Golden Gate 27.0.1
Adobe Acrobat Pro 26.002.22008

I also reproduced the issue while running Adobe Acrobat Diagnostics with Advanced Logging enabled. Acrobat was running when diagnostics started, but it crashed during the diagnostic session.

Diagnostic report ID: efd85033-79a8-479a-bb58-58f9660c0a03

The diagnostic upload completed successfully.

Is this a known issue with the current Acrobat version on Apple Silicon/macOS 27, and is there a workaround or fix available?

perfect_userff96

Participant

Since Acrobat is also crashing outside Compare Files, this looks like a broader application issue rather than something a different PDF comparison tool would fix.

The classic interface workaround mentioned above is worth trying while Adobe investigates.

If you mainly need to compare wording between two PDF versions, there is also a separate browser-based option.

I build Logrun Lab, which includes a free PDF Compare tool:

https://logrunlab.com/en/pdf-compare?utm_source=adobe_community&utm_medium=community&utm_campaign=distribution_action_179

It compares the text layers of two PDFs and reports Added, Removed and Changed text with page references.

Limitations:

Both PDFs need usable text layers.
No OCR or visual/layout comparison.
Maximum 20 MB and 200 pages per file.

It won't diagnose or fix the Acrobat crashes, but it may let you continue reviewing text changes while the underlying issue is being investigated.

Translate

justlearn

Community Expert

@Mystical_Brilliance8d59 I thought I checked to see if my Compare Files can crash as I am on a MacBook Pro M5 Max chip with 64 gigs of RAM. I am using the same version as you, 26.002.22008, but, I am viewing this under the classic view not new Acrobat interface. When I do switch to the new Acrobat interface it did crash. But, after I restarted Acrobat it worked again under the new interface after a couple of retstarts. I have switched back and disabled new acrobat, and it doesn’t crash on me

Translate

m

D

DFWTechGuy

Participating Frequently

Since Acrobat is crashing outside Compare Files too, and a full uninstall and reinstall didn’t help, I’d check whether this is a compatibility issue with the current Acrobat build and macOS version rather than keep reinstalling.

As a next step, try opening Acrobat in a new macOS user account to see whether it still crashes there. If it does, that helps narrow it down to something beyond your user profile. I’d also submit the diagnostic report ID to Adobe Support and include the exact steps that trigger the crash, especially scrolling or interacting with the comparison results.

Since you’ve already captured diagnostics with advanced logging enabled, I’d mention that in your support case so they can investigate the uploaded report. I wouldn’t assume it’s a confirmed known issue without an Adobe notice or confirmation. Hopefully Adobe can identify the cause from the crash logs.

Translate