No Recent Files in Acrobat Pro Mac

[StevenPDX]

No matter what I try, the welcome screen in Acrobat Pro shows no recent files. 

• Tried rebooting the computer
• Recents work fine in Photoshop, Indesign, and Illustrator
• Makes no difference if I launch the file from Finder or File > Open within Acrobat
• Started doing this about a month or two ago. Always wored fine before
• Running Acrobat Pro Version 2024.002.20893 on a Mac Studio

Would welcome some advice.

With thanks,

Steven

[creative explorer]

@StevenPDX make sure your settings are set up to show up - Preferences (Command K) on a Mac - Documents in recently used list

And General - View Starred files in Recent Tab too?

Restart Adobe Acrobat to take the new settings 

[StevenPDX]

Thank you. This setting were already in place. I double-checked them, quit and restarted Acrobt. Still nothing showing up in recent files.

[creative explorer]

@StevenPDX @srihari64 can you both try to see if the 'new acrobat' is turned on or off on your end? Mine works on either one...

@StevenPDX you wrote that you are also using: Acrobat Pro Version 2024.002.20893 on a Mac Studio

I am using the latest, 

[StevenPDX]

Thank you for your suggstions. I've just upgraded to .20964, checked all my settings, and still no recent files.  Here are additonal items that I've tried:

- Rebooted computer

- Upgraded to .20962, quit, and reloaded

- Opened PDF from Finder

- Opened PDF using FIle > Open from within Acrobat

- Opened PDF from withi Acrobe and used File > Save to create a new file

No matter what I do, nothing shows on Recent Files. This is a new bug that started on this computer about 1-2 months ago. I'd appreciate any help or setting that I may have missed. At this point, it clearly looks like a bug on Adobe's side.

[StevenPDX]

I'm not certain what you mean by "new Acrobat." My version has the shorter View window per your screenshots above.

[creative explorer]

@StevenPDX 

Using the new Acrobat interface: (tools are on the left)
Disable New Acrobat:

___________________________________________________________________

Using the Old Acrobat interface: (tools are on the right)
Enable New Acrobat:

______________________________________________________

Preferences, I have show 5 files only. I normally have this set to zero, as I do teach, and I don't want my students to see what I am working on.

[StevenPDX]

I received this odd response from Adobe:

Acrobat Pro 2024 is not compatible with Mac OS Sonoma.
So, we provide you the Acrobat Pro 2020 perpetual license which is the onetime payment and license valid for the lifetime.

Do you know anything about that?

[Tariq Ahmad]

Hi @StevenPDX,

This is very strange. You shouldn't be getting this message. I see you have a Creative Cloud subscription, which allows you to use Acrobat Pr 2024. The machine where you received this message is your personal device or Work machine.  Is the compatibility message still appearing?  If so, could you help us with the screenshot? 

~Tariq

[srihari64]

Hello, I have the same issue.

I have updated to latest Acrobat Pro on My Mac OS Sonoma 14.1.2: And the preferences are exactly same as the ones you suggested in screenshots, Still cannot see any recent files.

[srihari64]

Also the option 'Reopen PDF from Last session' is not working, even after changing in Preferences -> general -> Open PDFs from last session on Acrobat Launch

[Tariq Ahmad]

Hi @srihari64, 

Sorry for the troubled experience. 
Do you have Modern Acrobat enabled on your machine? To check, Launch Acrobat > View. If you see the option "Disable Modern Acrobat, " that means Modern Acrobat is enabled on your machine.


Thanks, Tariq.

[Tariq Ahmad]

Hi all, 

Sorry for the troubling experience. 

The recent file list is not updating. We know about the issue, and product engineering is currently triaging it. Sadly, the problem is not reproducible on our end. If we need any help or logs, we may contact you for your assistance. 

Thank you for your patience and reaching out.

~Tariq

[StevenPDX]

Tariq:

I've tried both ways, with "old" Acrobat and "new" Acrobat and the result is the same: no recent files. However, after some searching and testing on my own, I know the issue.

For some reason, Acrobat no longer recognizes files stored in a cloud service on its Recent Files list. If I take a file and drag it to a folder on my Mac's hardd drive, the fiels shows up in the recent files list. However, if I open a file from any cloud service--in my case Dropbox or iCloud--the files does not appear in the Recent File list. I've read that people using Google Drive have the same issue.

It seems a little strange to read that "Sadly, the problm is not reproducable on your end." There is a ton of Internet chatter about this bug, which began around February of this year. It is very easy to reproduce. Double-click on a file stored on any cloud accoount to open it, then close it. The file won't appear on the Recent Files list. Drag the file to the desktop, which puts it on the local machine's hard drive. Double-click it again, then close it. The file will appear on the Recent Files list.

For now, until this bug is fixed, I've switched to a different PDF program with a properly functioning Recent Files list. For those of us who use PDFs a lot in our daily work, and have the need to reopen them on a regular basis, this bug is a major interruption to our workflow. That Adobe has left this bug unaddressed for so long is very troubling to those of us who are paying a lot each month for your products--especially since every other Adobe product that I use--InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and so on--all have properly functioning Recent File listings.

[Tariq Ahmad]

@StevenPDX 

Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention and providing such a detailed description of the problem. We understand how frustrating this must be, especially given the impact on your workflow. We want to assure you that we're actively looking into this issue and will get back to you with an update as soon as possible.

Your feedback is valuable, and we're committed to finding a solution.

~Tariq

[Linda.R.Smith]

"Acrobat no longer recognizes files stored in a cloud service on its Recent Files list." 

@Tariq Ahmad I too have experienced this issue using Box Cloud Storage

[Hamish J. Dunn]

i am a "fiddler" as my dad would say, not a programmer.  presuming adobe is aware of this "bug" i am surprised that it has not been addressed over the last 4-6 months.  if you open multiple .pdf's with the intention to address purchase orders, invoices, forms, payroll journals & etc.... AND for any number of reasons need to reboot or close out of adobe acrobat, then what? personally i have resorted to taking a screen shot of my open adobe files so i can reopen them, i mean what a joke!  first world problems, i get it.  but enormously frustrating regards daily workflow.  if someone cared, it would get fixed OR explained.  someone care, please and fix it.

enough complaining.  if you are on mac OS, seq. 15.0.1 (MB Pro Apple M3 Max) you can use "Recent Items" as a work around, from the apple menu.  not ideal, but....

[StevenPDX]

This one makes absolutely no sense to me, as does the lack of movement on Adobe to fix it. Here are the facts:

• Prior to an upgrade, I could open a PDF three ways: from Finder, from an attached PDF in an email, or inside Acrobat using File > Open.
• All of my files are in Dropbox. Local copy stored on my computer; synchs to the cloud. Open a PDF, it's on the Recent Files list.
• Out of nowhere, Adobe upgrades. No cloud-based files appear on the Recent Files list. (It still works if the file is local on your hard drive, which doesn't work for the zillions of people who use a cloud file storage service)
• Tons of Internet chatter on this. Turns out it's any cloud file (Google, iCloud, Dropbox, etc.) That means it's likely Adobe, not the cloud sesrvices. I post here, Adobe's response: "We can't re-create the error."
• Adobe finally acknowledges the error on this forum. Their answer: "Hook up Dropbox under the Add File Storage option." Totally impractical. Normal users have many nested folders. Want to open a file now? You have to dig through all your folders using their archaic file dialog box for it to show up on the Recent Files list.
• What makes no sense at all: Recent files works just fine in Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator, and so on. Same company, same suite of software, same monthly price, sold as if it's an integrated suite.

From a user's perspective, this looks like "Take a common, eeryday feature, break it without warning, then provide a ridiculously inconvenient 'solution' and tell thousands of users, 'We're working on it', then ignore it.

It just baffles me to no end when software companies do dumb stuff like this--introduce productivity-killing bugs into their code--then go silent on their user base. It's soooo frustrating....

[StevenPDX]

That's not a bad idea. I've never used Recents because it's essentially a huge alphabetical list of files that for me are anything but recent, so I've ignored it. I will definitely look into this as an option. Good call.

[StevenPDX]

Hamish! What a great idea! I've never used that item off the Apple menu before and it's a great solution! I set the number of files to 30 and and I'll see how that goes. You're right...not ideal, but if you're working with the same file a few times, then moving on to another one, it's a great interim solution until Adobe addresses this issue.

When I come across unused features like this, it always makes me wonder what else I'm not using/overlooking on my Mac that could be a great timesaver.

Thanks for the workaround. Really great insight!