Acrobat Pro and OS Catalina

[jonhenryhunt]

I just upgraded my Mac to OS Catalina and I have a message that Acrobat Pro is not compatible. Pro is in my dock, but it is grayed out. Is there a solution?

[Test Screen Name]

Catalina needs all new apps. You haven’t told us what version of Acrobat you’re trying to run. It’s too early for Catalina, but people are using the current Acrobat DC and Acrobat 2017, more or less successfully. If any of your apps are not the very latest, upgrading to Catalina needs to budget for all new - part of the Joy of Mac!

[DrAddison]

Where can I get  version of Acrobat Pro that will work on Catalina that is not subscription-based?  I am currently using Pro v.11 (XI).  Can I get Acrobat 2017?  I am not interested in a subscription-based version.

[jane-e]

Hi Dr. Addison,

I know you can get it, because a good friend of mine bought it just a month ago. She bought it directly from Adobe to make sure she was getting a legal version, but told me she had to be quite persistent. I just looked for a link and only found one for the Middle Eastern version.

Try contacting Adobe Customer Care: https://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html
Click the chat icon in the lower right and type "agent" to get a human, and be persistent. Please report back here either way.

~ Jane

[DrAddison]

Yeah, searching the Adobe site only brings up the subscription option. It looks like I can purchase 2017 via Amazon, including the educational version which is what I want. I don't know why I can't get it directly from Adobe.

[jane-e]

My friend got it from Adobe on the phone last month. She said she had to be persistent.

It's listed here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/support/programs/eol-matrix.html

and here (phone and chat at bottom of page)

https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/acrobat/pricing/compare-versions.html

I'll ask the product team about it next week at Adobe MAX. I talked to them for a half an hour two years ago.

~ Jane

[try67]

You can, but they do their best to hide it, it seems. I've compiled these instructions to help you get to it:

Go to the Adobe Products Page (https://www.adobe.com/products/catalog/software.html) and search for "Acrobat".
Click on the Buy button next to Acrobat Pro 2017, and then change the "I want to buy" option to "Full License" (or "License Upgrade" if you have a qualifying earlier version).
Then select the other options and click on Add To Cart, and proceed to checkout. You'll get a full license, not a time-based subscription.

[jane-e]

Hi

Here is the Help page on Acrobat and Catalina:
https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/compatibility-with-macos-10-15-catalina.html

Also, read this reply from Dov Isaacs (Adobe Staff):
https://community.adobe.com/t5/Acrobat/Mac-OS-10-15-Will-Adobe-Acrobat-Pro-either-2017-or-DC-functio...

Here are the current plans for Acrobat:
https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/acrobat/pricing.html

~ Jane

[Test Screen Name]

Can't recommend Acrobat 2017, the perpetual license version. Costs about what 3 years of subscription version costs. If you're the sort of person that keeps upgrading your Mac you are surely going to make Acrobat 2017 obsolete just like Acrobat XI and you'll have to buy all over again... and again...