Screen goes black when adding signature

[jjorgensen]

I am using Adobe Reader DC and I would like to digitally sign a document. When I try to digitally sign it, the screen goes black, nothing happens and I have to press Esc to return to the document.

This fix didn't work

Launch Reader > Edit > Preferences > Signatures .

Under Creation & Appearance > click More > uncheck use modern user interface for signing....

Relaunch Reader and check.

[billzerr · Accepted solution]

If anyone is still having issues with this. Turning off "Use modern Interface" did not work for me. What worked was going to Preferences - Adobe Online Services - Turn on "Sync Preferences across Devices and Document Services". Once I had this on I no longer got the black screen and was able to add my own signatures / initials.

[Amal.]

Hi Jjorgensen,

we are sorry for the trouble. As described the screen goes black when you try to sign the PDF.

Please try the following steps and see if that helps:

• Make sure you have the latest version (20.006.20034) installed. Go to Help > Check for Updates.
• Please try to repair installation  (For Windows only) Go to Help > Repair Installation
• You may also try to reset the preferences to default as described in the link (https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat/how-to-reset-acrobat-preference-settings-to-default/td-p/4792...)

 If it still doesn't Work, launch Reader>Edit>Preferences> Security Enhanced: "Turn off of the protected " and  "Uncheck: Enable protected mode at startup". This step is only for testing purpose. If this fixes your issue enable the feature again. You may visit this: Protected Mode troubleshooting | Adobe Reader

Also, you may try to disable your security software for temporarily for some time and check. 

If it still doesn't work, you may try to sign the documents online at document cloud (https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/home/)

Let us know how it goes.

Thanks 

Amal

[jan5C82]

This does not work for me either. Is there any remedy? How can Adobe charge for this product?

[Amal.]

Hi Jan

Hope you are doing well and sorry for the trouble.

Have you tried the troubleshooting steps provided earlier?

Please try to sign out of the application > reboot the computer once and re-login to the application using the same Adobe ID and check if that helps.

Also make sure that you have the latest version of the Adobe Acrobat DC (21.01.20142) installed. Go to Help > Check for updates and reboot the computer once and check.

Regards

Amal

[Kristin Fraser]

I am having this problem too - latest MacOS, latest Adobe. But the pain of changing signatures is getting unbearable. You need to make this easier. I don't just sign on behalf of me, I have to sign on behalf of an aged parent and minor children and each signature change is fraught with issues. You should make this easier - really! 

I'm not sitting with the Black Screen and done everything you suggested and apart from an uninstall, reinstall (WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO!!!) I am now stuck, again.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE fix this!

[Amal.]

Hi there

We are sorry to hear that. Please try following troubleshooting steps:

Launch Acrobat/Reader > Edit (Win), Adobe Acrobat (Mac) > Preferences > Signatures  > Under Creation & Appearance > click More > uncheck use modern user interface for signing and relaunch the application and check.

Regards

Amal

[Christofer5E46]

Just FYI, I had the same problem. Trying to add a signature in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC leads to a black screen.

1. Version shows as "no updates available" (21.005.20048).
2. I "repaired" the installation ... no improvement.
3. I added the Adobe folder as an antivirus (Windows Defender) exception ... no improvement.
4. I restarted the app ... no improvement.
5. I uninstalled and reinstalled and tried it all again ... no improvement.
6. If I turn off "use modern interface" I no longer see the option to add a signature (using touch screen or image), so I can't sign it (documents need my signature, not just me typing a digitally signed name).
7. I gave up, signed it without digital signing in free Adobe Reader (works fine), waited a while, retried with the same document in Pro DC as a prelude to writing a bug report here ... the modern interface had turned itself back on and it all worked fine, signed.

No idea how or why, but it's working now.

[Amal.]

Hi there

We are happy to hear that it started working for you again.

Feel free to contact us for any assistance required in the future.

Regards

Amal

[billzerr · Accepted solution]

If anyone is still having issues with this. Turning off "Use modern Interface" did not work for me. What worked was going to Preferences - Adobe Online Services - Turn on "Sync Preferences across Devices and Document Services". Once I had this on I no longer got the black screen and was able to add my own signatures / initials.

[JoutlawPhysics]

I’ve tried every suggestion here, as well as unchecking "Enable Enhanced Security" in Preferences > Security (Enhanced) as indicated here: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/acrobat-dc-for-mac-puts-up-a-black-screen-over-my...

Nothing helps, and this Issue has been a problem for quite some time.

Please help.

[Spring5C86]

I am having this issue as well and have tried all the suggested trouble-shooting steps with no success. Adobe - please advise on a functional solution. 

[Amal.]

Hi there

Hope you are doing well and sorry to hear that. Would you mind sharing the version of the Adobe Acrobat/Reader DC you are using? To check the version go to Help > About Acrobat and make sure you have the recent version 21.07.20099 installed. Go to help > for updates and reboot the computer once.

Regards

Amal

[Nigel5C08]

I'm having this issue also. Rather painful to say the least. Is there a way I can use the signature from the adobe on my iPad to populate the signature window on my PC?

[Amal.]

Hi there

Hope you are doing well and sorry to hear that.

Would you mind sharing the steps you are doing to sign the PDF file?

What is the version of the Adobe Acrobat DC you are using? To check the version go to help > About Acrobat and make sure you have the latest verion 21.07.20099 installed. Go to Help > Check for updates and reboo the computer once. 

Also try to reset the Acrobat preferences as described here - https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/how-to-reset-acrobat-preference-settings-to-defau... and check

You may also try to create a new test user profile with full admin rights in Windows or enable the root account in Mac and try using the application there.

Also try to sign the the PDF online via Document Cloud - https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/home/

Regards

Amal

[JoutlawPhysics]

Hey Amal,

1. The version is 2021.007.20099

2. The Acrobat preferences that I have have been reset, and no fix

3. I’m using a root account already

4. Although the Document Cloud does work for signing, I need to be able to keep my documents out of the cloud. Please help figure this out.

Thanks, Jeff

[Amal.]

Hi Jeff

Please go to Edit (Win), Adobe Acrobat (Mac) > Preferences > Signatures > Under Creation & Appearance > click More > uncheck use modern user interface for signing and relaunch the application and see if that works for you.

Regards

Amal

[Praveen5E64]

This problem is frustrating for me..tried above all options but no luck with signature.

Please improve options for the users that we can easily use the adobe reader, this is modern world, no one want to do all these settings.

[Amal.]

Hi Praven

Would you mind sharing the version of the OS and the Acrobat Reader DC you are using? To check the version go to Help > About Acrobat and make sure you have the recent version 21.07.20099 installed. Go to Help > Check for updates and reboot the computer.

Also try to reset the Acrobat preferences as described here https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/how-to-reset-acrobat-preference-settings-to-defau...

You may also try to create a new test user profile with full admin rights or enable the root account in MAc and try using the application there and check.

Regards

Amal

[JoutlawPhysics]

Amal, in my original message I said that I had tried everything suggested here so far. Unchecking use modern interface was mentioned by the OP. For your edification, here is a complete list of everything I have done:

• Unchecked “Use modern user interface…”
• Checked "Sync Preferences across Devices and Document Services"
• Restored the Acrobat preferences files (Mac OS) as instructed here: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/how-to-reset-acrobat-preference-settings-to-defau...
• Signed out of the application, rebooted the computer once, and re-logged in to the application using the same Adobe ID
• Unchecked "Enable Enhanced Security" as instructed here: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/acrobat-dc-for-mac-puts-up-a-black-screen-over-my...
• Verified that I’m using version 21.07.20099
• Used root account 
• Uninstalled and reinstalled Acrobat

I’m still getting a black screen with a white dot in the center when I try to sign a document. I’m running macOS Big Sur 11.6, but this has been a persistent issue for a while. Please acknowledge that there is a legitimate software issue that needs to be addressed by your development team.

Thank you,

Jeff

[Rezki Nassim5FF2]

Hi, 

I have exactly the same problem. I've tried all the solutions mentionned by Amal but it doesn't work.

Regards, 

Nassim

[Amal.]

Hi Nassim,

Hope you are doing well and sorry to hear that. Would you mind sharing the version of the OS you are using.

Also collect the logs of the affected machine as described here https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-log-collector.html and procmon logs (Win Only) here https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/acromonitor.html

and share the logs via document cloud as described here https://helpx.adobe.com/document-cloud/help/sharing-pdfs.html

Regards

Amal

[Emil5C82]

Found the solution: Open the PDF in Photoshop sign it there and save it as a PDF. Or even better print it, sign and mail.
Ok this was a joke, and so is Acrobat! Seriously how many bugs this thing has? It should be still in beta phase at least then we would know these things can happen.

And honestly Adobe, don't start your solutions by saying you must update to the latest version, and of course then must update the cloud app as well. Guess what, when the OS was not updated and everything elso runs in exactly same way as it did a week ago, when I could still sign documents in Acrobat then I'm expecting it to work this week too without updating!
By the way I've been using Adobe since Photoshop 2.5 so I am well aware of how stable things were before things went to the cloud.

[Amal.]

Hi there

We are sorry to hear that. Would yo umind sharing the requird logs as asked earlier so that we can isolate the issue for the fix.

Regards

Amal

[positive_perspective154A]

Same problem here

I tried all the proposed solutions to no avail.

Finally I tried to remove my antivirus and everything started to work again !

In my case, it was my antivirus (F-SECURE) which was blocking something in the background.

Hope this helps

[defaultmw99truvgxie]

I am having the same problem with Adobe Reader 2021.007.20099. When adding a signature the screen will go black and I unable to do anything else and must force the application to close.  None of the solutions here have worked.  If I uninstall and reinstall it will work for a short period then the problem will come back again. Please help find a permanent solution.