Acrobat Licensing Application hangs after login on Mac OS 10.15 (Catalina)

[krikelpit]

I bought a license for Adobe Acrobat Pro 2017 and installed a freshly downloaded version from the Adobe Website on Mac OS 10.15.1. After login with the Adobe ID I get the following screen and cannot open Adobe Acrobat. The same problem is reported here: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat/adobe-acrobat-2017-pro-mac-os-10-15-can-t-install/m-p/1068683... but no solution is given. Any help would be very much appreciated.  

CD Part Number ESD
CD Description Acrobat Professional Acrobat_2017_Web_WWMUI.dmg,Acrobat_2017_Web_WWMUI.xml,proxy.xml
Build Date = 20190926080144

Acrobat Licensing Application hangs after login with Adobe ID

[Dermot16B8]

I had a similar problem - using Catalina with Acrobat Pro 2020 when it stopped working and opened a sign in window when activated.  The sign in window was blank and I could not enter my details.  I tried many things all to no avail; un-installing, re-installing, using Sudo commands in terminal as suggested above.  Nothing worked.  Acrobat support was terrible.  Then I tried "enable root user" as suggested by David, and hey presto, success.

There's a step by step guide to setting up Root User here;

https://www.macinstruct.com/node/389

Just follow the instructions, log out from your normal user, and log in as root user.  Use Finder to locate acrobat app and activate.  The sign in window appears; sign in to your account and acrobat works again.

After this, I deactivated root user as described in the article above. 

Hope this helps

[tech moron]

I spent 3 hours working with Adobe support and it did not help.  Then I found this post and enabled root user by following the directions at the macinstruct.com link above.  It worked immediately.  Thank you so much.  Don't waste half your day with Adobe support like I did!

[WilliamKF]

Works for Acrobat 2015 DC too, just create new user (Admin level), log in, launch, activation now works, log out and switch to your normal user, launch, accept terms, it now works!

[Greg5DA6]

What is an Open Terminal?  I am having the same issues and spent already 4 hours with Adobe sharing my computer.  Nothing at all has helped.  It was working fine this morning and now the blank Licensing page.

[Greg5DA6]

This didn't work for me.  I used the Terminal and then restarted Adobe, then it keep clocking and not moving past the Licensing screen.  I've been working on this for hours.  nothing seems to work.  I have uninstalled and reinstalled at least 3 times, removed Libraries, emptied trash, restarted computer.  Nothing...ugh!  

[MacUser123!]

OK I faced the exact same issue (i.e. when trying to open a PDF document, the Adobe Licensing App opens up and prompts me to sign-in, leading only to a blank screen). But I contacted Adobe Support and they gave instructions that finally worked for me.

(Context: I have an Acrobat Pro DC Individual Subscription and not a Licensing Version.)

1) End all Adobe Services from the Activity Monitor.

2) Click on the link below and uninstall Acrobat from Cleaner tool:

https://labs.adobe.com/downloads/acrobatcleaner.html

(i.e. Mac in my case. Please note that just clicking on it won’t open it; use two fingers to click on it and then select ‘save as’ and then run it.)

3) Install Acrobat from the Direct download link:

https://helpx.adobe.com/in/acrobat/kb/acrobat-dc-downloads.html

(Note that in Mac, when ‘opening’ an icon, you can’t just double-click; you need to use two fingers to click on it and then select ‘Open’.)

4) Open Acrobat and sign-in.

Hope this helps!

[Greg5DA6]

I finally found the right agent at Adobe.  After numerous calls and hours spent, one agent who finally knew what to do got on my computer, and in 20 mins they fixed it, no more problems!

[Greg5DA6]

I found the right agent.  They accessed my computer, and a few mins later they fixed it, no more problems!

[MacUser999]

I've tried everything suggested so far (terminal commands, cleaner and reinstall, restarts, etc.) Nothing worked still get dumped into that blank screen. What did your agent do? Who were they? How do I get them to help me?

[Greg5DA6]

@MacUser999 

I went on the Adeobe website, found the contact us info. I started a chat session and told them what was going on.  Then after doing the basic restart, terminal creap, they realized this could be more complex.  After those first 5 mins of Level 1 help, they then asked to take over the computer.  I had to download some stuff they emailed me via secure link, then after that quick install, they took over.  After about 5-10 mins of them doing their magic, I was able to restart Adobe and went right past the Authentication screen, no problems since!

I know it's only been a couple weeks, but I can't even remember if I talked to them on the phone or what, but anyway, it all started with the chat session.  This is also assuming you have the full suite or a paid version, not sure of those who use the free stuff.  Have your reg/serial # ready since they may need it to do their work and reinstall Adobe.  If you registered your product when you bought it, they'll have it on file, but save yourself 5 mins for them to look it up and have it ready.  GIve yourself 20-40 mins for this entire process depending on who you get at Adobe.  The first agent(s) were not helpful, the second chat session I started worked much better...almost as if that agent had already done this process once or twice that day.  

Best of luck!

[MacUser999]

Thanks.

Actually phoned their sales line in desparation. To my surprise, before I went through to a person, it offered the option of support! So about 5 more auto menu choices later I was talking to a charming woman in Jaipur. She took control of my Mac and deleted all sorts of files, reinstalled, changed permissions, tried, failed, went through process all over again changing and deleting more files and folders and installing elements of Creative Cloud that were apparently needed for Acrobat 17 to launch properly (but aren't installed by the installer.) I completely  lost track of it all. Took over an hour but she eventually got passed the blank screen. Unfortunately all the reinstalling then caused my registration code to lock out (it thinks it's installed on multiple computers) so I can't access all the features. But they're raising and sending me a new code, due tomorrow. So all should be well.

The relief of actually getting to talk to someone who actuall wanted to help was considerable. The support website is totally dysfunctional... you can't log in to access chat services until you're registered. If you have a problem with actually registering the website just sends you in circles.

Given the amount of work the person who helped me had to do it seems evident that Adobe's installers are very flaky!

[Greg5DA6]

Great!  

[uh_pza]

Thank you for sharing this solution - I do have a similar Problem with another Version of Adobe Acrobat ( Adobe Acrobat 2015 DC - it is a 64 bit version) and Catalina. Im not really in working with terminal.

My question ist, has someone already solved this problem using the correct Terminal expression for Adobe Acrobat 2015 DC ? The path seems to be slightly different, in the Applications folder there is an Adobe Acrobat 2015 folder, including Adobe Acrobat.app - there is no subfolder Content s/MacOs/Adobe Acrobat.

Or did I get something wrong and I have to search in the Library/Application Support/Adobe/Acrobat/2015 ( there is no subfolder - Content a/MacOs/AdobeAcrobat - neither.

Thanks in advance,

uh

[Test Screen Name]

There should be no space in "Contents" - not "Content s". And there will certainly be a Contents folder for every app, even though you cannot see it in Finder.

[MAURIZIOB832]

I too had a problem with Acrobat Pro 2017.
I had it on a MacBook Pro with Intel CPU where first I installed it under Catalina, then I uopgraded to BigSur, all right.
After that I changed the Mac and went to a MacBook Pro with M1 CPU, i trasferred everything of my personal profile with Migration Assistant. Apparently/partially Acrobat 2017 was working in the sense that it opened the PDF files; but if i tried to register the license or to create a PDF from a web page the Acrobat Licensing app appeared and when i clicked on the "enter" button it crashed and Acrobat closed.

Matter is that the Acrobat Licensing App of 2017 is not working [with Big Sur?]. so reading other user forums i understood that you can install a trial version Acrobat 2020; so doing you install a more recent version of Acrobat Licensing app which apparently is the same for all the Acorbat versions. you then start your Acrobat 2017 and register it with the new, working Adobe Licensing app. after that you can delete the trial of Acrobat 2020.

In the previous days I lost hours in chat with very kind people of Adobe support who nevertheless didn't understand anything at all of my problem - in the sense that they were bouncing me from one to another techinician of support, always with no results.

[Dotoki2]

macOS 11.2 and Acrobat Pro 2017

I tried in terminal two commands

to set correct permissions of OOBE folder
chmod 777 /Users/<my_username>/Library/Application\ Support/Adobe/OOBE/

and to launch the sign in process with admin permissions
sudo /Applications/Adobe\ Acrobat\ 2017/Adobe\ Acrobat.app/Contents/MacOS/AdobeAcrobat
but the issue was not solved.

Then I created a new admin account, started Acrobat and the content in the window 'Acrobat Licensing Application' was displayed. I entered my Adobe ID and then serial number and Acrobat was successful activated.
Then I switched again to original account and Acrobat started without asking for Adobe ID or serial number.

[defaulthd4dm9p64ixt]

This worked very well - thanks for posting this solution!

[default9196vbrjk86k]

I was having the same problem (with a reinstall on a replacement Mac running Big Sur).  The following advice from Adobe  Customer  Care worked for me.  Perhaps it will for others.

1) Uninstall Acrobat Pro 2017 from applications folder.

2) Re-download the application from below mentioned link:
https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/acrobat-2017-downloads.html

3) Once it is downloaded than install the application and close it.
Note:- Do not launch the app, just install it.

4) Than download Creative cloud desktop App from below link:
https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/creative-cloud-desktop-app-download.html

5) Download this app and install it and then sign in with your adobe id. Once it is launched and opened successfully than close this creative cloud app and open your Acrobat pro 2017.

6) Sign in with your adobe id in Acrobat.

[peterf41087923]

Thank you!! After trying EVERYTHING else, your instructions did the trick. Be sure to NOT launch the Acrobat 2017 app until you have downloaded, installed, and signed into Creative Cloud. The Acrobat app will then show up on your list of applications. Accessing it through Creative Cloud, the Licensing Authentication window finally populated correctly, I was able to sign in, and DONE!! Woo hoo!!!

[peterf41087923]

I tried the above, but did not work. However, this did:

1) Uninstall Acrobat Pro 2017 from applications folder.

2) Re-download the application from below mentioned link:
https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/acrobat-2017-downloads.html

3) Once it is downloaded than install the application and close it.
Note:- Do not launch the app, just install it. DO NOT LAUNCH THE ACROBAT APP!! DO NEXT STEP FIRST.

4) Then download Creative cloud desktop App from below link:
https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/creative-cloud-desktop-app-download.html

5) Download this app and install it and then sign in with your adobe id. Once creative cloud is launched and opened successfully, you will see your Acrobat application in the list inside creative cloud. Click Open next to Acrobat. Now the Authentication window will populate and allow you to enter your username and password.