MacOS Adobe Acrobat Helper app

[Graphics Toledo]

I've noticed a strange behavior with Adobe Acrobat over the past couple of weeks. When opening Adobe Acrobat on a Mac, it seems to launch the Adobe Acrobat Helper app instead. I assume this is now part of Adobe Acrobat's structure, but I’m not sure why it's happening. Essentially, when you open Adobe Acrobat, it doesn't launch the main app directly; instead, it opens the Helper app, which is part of the Adobe Acrobat package.

Does anyone know why this is happening?

[deannat92413713]

I am having this issue too - did you figure it out? I have not come across any answers elsewhere.

[Graphics Toledo]

I have not. Sorry. 

[concretenz]

Same for me, have uninstalled / re-installed... works fine up to the point of when Adobe Acrobat does an update (via the app not via Adobe Creative Cloud) - or not watching. Then it all happens again - strange!

[Michał Ziółkowski]

It's exactly the same for me. Acrobat Helper opens. I don't know why that happens either.

[GPGW]

I've only just noticed this behaviour too.

Helper seems to function the same as Acrobat, but the name has changed :S

[GDH Stefan]

I am also having ths issue, everything is working fine but why is the helper launcing?

[AnandSri]

Hello!

I hope you are doing well.

Could you please share a screenshot of the window that opens as Acrobat Helper? Try rebooting your machine, resetting Acrobat preferences, and then restarting the machine to check if the issue persists. Also, when does the Acrobat Helper launch? Does it appear while using any specific tools, when opening a PDF, or during the app launch? 

Please ensure you have the latest version installed, check for any pending updates from the Acrobat Menu > Check for updates, install any pending updates, and restart the machine.

Let us know how it goes.

Thanks,

Anand Sri.

[GDH Stefan]

I know what triggers this problem. After I removed the "com.adobe.Acrobat.Pro.plist" file from the system the problem was solved but when I changed the interface to the old the problem was there again. I hate the new Acrobat interface thats why I want to go back to the old.

[GDH Stefan]

In the video you can see what happens when I launch Acrobat Pro.

[concretenz]

Hi not happening for me anymore, I deleted, second time round, also deleted any and all preferences - was quite the deep dive. Could have lived with it, though couldn't. However I have since done a clean install of MacOs (long story)... have had no issues. Have you tried the update via Acrobat Help menu (check for updpates) ?

[inputdelay]

Uninstalling and reinstalling helped me.

I noticed that as soon as I leave all settings at default, the update works for me too.

does anyone else know what to do? thank you!

[GDH Stefan]

Did you switched to the old interface after reinstall?

[inputdelay]

No, I use the new one

[GDH Stefan]

That is exactly what triggers the problem, when you switch to the old interface, the problem is there again.

[bsmoon]

This just started happening to me. It started when I turned off "Enable Protected Mode at Startup" in the Security (Enhanced) preference. I turned it off to use a plugin. When I turned it back on it opened correctly.

Maybe try this?

[shaktikeshri]

Hi @bsmoon 

Adobe Acrobat offers extra security by Protected Mode security setting which is ON by default.

But when we disable protected mode, 2 icons will be shown due to a limitation in Apple's new Mac OS architecture. 

https://helpx.adobe.com/in/acrobat/kb/known-issues-acrobat-dc-reader.html (Sandbox)

On turning PM ON, dual icon will no longer be there. 

[GDH Stefan]

We also use a plugin (Quite Imposing) so we need to turn of Protected Mode for it to work. When is Adobe going to fix this issue?

[S. S]

Hi @stefanh10735111,

Hope you are doing well. Thanks for writing in!

If the use of a specific plugin requires you to disable protected mode, it means the plugin version has compatibility issues with the latest security patches being used in the sandbox.

The fix for such issues is something the developer of the plugin has to do on their end. 

We request you reach out to the plugin manufacturer for the best assistance.

Hope this clarifies your question.

Regards,
Souvik.

[David Cardillo, PRH]

We use Enfocus Pitstop. The enhanced security in Acrobat will not allow the plug-in to work. So it has to be turned off to enable it.

Turning it off means the Adobe Acrobat Help app launches whenever a PDF is opened — even when launching the main Acrobat app from the Doc or the Finder, the Helper app launches.

Toggling from any other app back to Acrobat creates a lag. The system will hang a moment while it switches to the Helper. Where toggling to the Helper is almost immediate.

[shaktikeshri]

Hi @David Cardillo, PRH 

There is a known issue with Enfocus Pitstop Pro with Protected Mode ON. It requires to be fixed at Enfocus end. 

With Protected Mode OFF, which is default OFF , dual icon will be seen due to limitation in Apple's new Mac OS architecture. 

https://helpx.adobe.com/in/acrobat/kb/known-issues-acrobat-dc-reader.html 

We'll investigate the hang issue at our end on switching from any other application to Acrobat in PM OFF mode.

https://helpx.adobe.com/in/acrobat/kb/protected-mode-troubleshooting-reader.html