Why does Distiller open every time I print a document in Sonoma

Report · Dec 07, 2023

I installed OS Sonoma on my Imac earlier this week, and, aside from the annoying CapsLock Indicator that I had to disable, everything seems to be working fine, except that whenever I print a pdf, and I print a lot of pdfs in my job, Distiller opens up first. The documents print, but I've never seen this happen before. Is this just the new normal, or is there a setting I can change to prevent it?

Report · Aug 05, 2025

I've since upgraded to OS 15.5 and Creative Cloud is up-to-date and I no longer experience the delay with Distiller.

View solution in original post

Report · Feb 26, 2024

Out of memory: Print to file is in the Advanced screen. Printing much slower may be a print as image option also in the Advanced screen. That option is sticky (means once set, it stays, even when closing Acrobat) ond it slows down the printing process considerably.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

Report · Feb 28, 2024

I'm not seeing anything in the Advanced screen.

Report · Feb 27, 2024

Hi @mdhumpy2

++ Adding to the discussion

Please go through the help page https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/creating-pdfs-acrobat-distiller.html

If the issue still persists after trying the suggestions provided by try67 and Abambo please collect the print logs as described below:

1. Place the plist file com.adobe.Acrobat.FeatureState.plist at location /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Acrobat/Trunk/Preferences

2. Execute the print workflow

3. Logs will be generated at a location similar to /var/folders/t9/93cz_sz9075d4nl5hqrlc6n00000gn/T.

4. The temp folder where the logs are generated is different for different users which is common only upto /var/folders.

5. To get the exact path of the file use the following command on terminal “ sudo find / -name AcrobatPrintLogs.txt “

6. once you get the complete path eg like /private/var/folders/jk/vgtyw__s2dsdphtygd_0jslr0000gn/T/AcrobatPrintLogs.txt

7. just add cat as follows cat /private/var/folders/jk/vgtyw__s2dsdphtygd_0jslr0000gn/T/AcrobatPrintLogs.txt

8. One can see AcrobatPrintLogs

~Amal

Report · Mar 05, 2024

Hi there

As said in other answer: can't download com.adobe.Acrobat.FeatureState.plist (Device Verification Error). Other place to find the file. maybe right here?

Armin

Report · Jun 05, 2024

Without changing anything on the Mac and without updating (!) Acrobat works again without Distiller on my Mac Mini. The problem persists on the Mac Book.

Strange!

Report · Mar 05, 2024

Same issue here. Also started after upgrading to Sonoma. This is so annoying. Adobe, please patch this, it is clearly not an issue specific to one user.

Report · Mar 05, 2024

I've been having the same issue after upgrading to Sonoma. Please fix.

Report · Mar 07, 2024

Hi there,

Please share the requested print logs so we can isolate the issue for the fix.

~Amal

Report · Mar 25, 2024

Same here. Also Sonoma 13.4
The popup appears on EVERY print command, even without closing Acrobat.
Even more annoying is that Acrobat freezes for about 10-25 seconds after clicking on the popup.
This adds quite some time and causes a lot of frustration when you have to print a lot of files.

Report · Mar 26, 2024

Hi there

We are sorry to hear that the issue still persists, Would you mind collecting the Adobe CC logs https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-log-collector.html and Crash/freeze logs https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/collect-logs-crash-freeze.html and share them via any cloud storage. Just upload the log file to the cloud and generate the link and share that link with us for further investigation.

Regards
Amal

Report · Mar 26, 2024

It doesn't crash and it doesn't freeze for me.

- You select print.

- It asks "Acrobat Distiller.app would like to access data from other apps. Don't Allow / Allow" (I've clicked both options doesn't matter)

- Then distiller tries launching, starts bouncing in the dock. This NEVER use to happen.

- Rainbow ball is spinning

- Eventually pdf prints. Does NOT crash or freeze but takes at least twice as long to print than it use to.

Report · Apr 10, 2024

Having the same issue here. I try to print a PDF, Distiller opens asks to Allow/Don't Allow (doesn't matter what you select) then it freezes and never prints. Checked security settings, PS settings, nothing is working.

Report · Apr 18, 2024

For no apparent reason mine stopped doing it today. No idea why. Was there in an update? Maybe a System update?

Report · Apr 18, 2024

Hi there,

Hope you are doing well and thanks for reaching out.

On Sonoma, distiller experience is not a bug. It was implemented to make printing by Adobe Acrobat work which stopped working on Sonoma due to an API deprecation by Apple.

Our team is actively working on this and the fix will be available in the future updates.

Thanks for your time and patience so far.

~Amal

Report · Apr 19, 2024

Anyone found an answer - same issue here with SONOMA 14.4.1. no longer able to print from Acrobat DC

Report · Apr 19, 2024

ANy Updates No longel able to print from Acrobat distiller in Sonoma

Report · May 05, 2024

I have the same problem. I can no longer print from Adobe Acrobat, which is frustrating. Distiller launches, but everything just hangs and doesn't print. I am running macOS 14.4.1 and Acrobat Pro Version 2024.002.20736. In the past, Distiller never launched, and it would just print. It is very frustrating to pay for a product and it doesn't work. Yes, I've tried all the suggestions, but nothing has worked so far. Adobe, please fix this. Also, try fixing your existing applications instead of wasting 1 billion dollars on Figma. Time for a new Adobe CEO.

Report · May 07, 2024

Hi there

Have you started experiencing the issue recently?

Is this an issue with a particular PDF file or with all the PDFs? Please try with a different PDF file and check. If the file is stored on a shared network/drive please download it to your computer locally and then try again.

Also, check for any pending or missing updates for the printer driver and firmware and try updating it. You may also try to remove the printer driver, reboot the computer, and reinstall it from the printer manufacturer's website.

Please check the help page: https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/troubleshoot-pdf-printing-acrobat-reader.html

~Amal

Report · May 07, 2024

I am having the exacrt same issue with the same software combination as Ryan. It is Acrobat Pro (not reader). I started with the latest upgrade (same as all the users above). Happens with all PDFs. I now how to use CHROME to open the PDF and print as Acrobat is useless.

Report · May 07, 2024

Here is something I have noticed on my system. When I go to Print > Advanced Print Setup. Under Settings (see red oval) if I select "Acrobat Default" it seems to STOP the Distiller from launching. If I have "Custom" selected then the Distiller DOES launch.

ALSO - Is anyone having this additional issue. Whenever I print to my color printer from Acrobat it will sometimes randomly print black and white. It seems random and definitely ONLY from Acrobat.

Report · Oct 30, 2024

just reporting that I do not experience the same thing — Distiller will launch on my (Sonoma) Mac even with Acrobat Default selected (because that's my usual setting)

Report · May 22, 2024

Has anyone found a fix to this issue? I still can not print without distiller opening (which takes a while) from Adobe Acrobat. But I can't print from Adobe Reader at all. Just says it was sent to the printer but then nothing happens. SO FRUSTRATING!

Report · May 25, 2024

I had this similar issue with printing PDF's. When I went to print, it sent the command to the printer and then wouldn't print. I had to open the printer option, then click print, and then Distiller would open and it would print.

Tired of doing this everytime, I found that going into the Advanced settings and choosing "Print As Image" worked for me. Now I have no issues printing PDF's.

Report · May 27, 2024

Thanks for the suggestions! Unfortuanly, that didn't seem to work for me. Some things will print our of Reader and some won't. The item looks like it was sent to the printer but then nothing actually happens.

Report · Sep 05, 2024

I think there is a connection between having Acrobat running solo or in connection with other apps like Illustrator / InDesign ….... I have fine results with Acrobat running solo, but the error occurs when other Adobe apps are in the background!??????