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Participant
August 6, 2020
Question

ADOBE Acrobat DC for iPad won’t open

  • August 6, 2020
  • 6 replies
  • 4815 views

Help, I have subscribed and installed the app for ADOBE Acrobat DC (the $14.99 subscription) but when I try to open documents either from the internet or from saved files they still will not open and I get a notice that ADOBE Acrobat DC for Windows or Mac is needed to open this document.  Why is this not working and what do I need to do differently? 

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    6 replies

    Participant
    April 13, 2024

    I got the exact same message.  I am able to open and edit the file on my MAC mini but not on my IPAD.  This is a huge inconvenience as my MAC mini is very old and slow.  I do everything on my IPad.  I expect that Chromebook users would have the same problem given the message says you need Windows or a MAC. 

    Participant
    April 13, 2024

    To clarify, I am able to open PDFs on my IPad but not this partticular one which only opens on the MAC mini.  Could someone explain what is different that some files can only be opened in Windows or on a MAC.  

    Amal.
    Community Manager
    Community Manager
    April 15, 2024

    Hi there,

     

    you are most likely trying to open a Dynamic XFA (XML Form Architecture) PDF. To view such pdf documents, we recommend you to download the file locally and open it either in Adobe Acrobat/Reader desktop application.

     

    Regards

    Amal

    Legend
    August 7, 2020

    John Walker, an Acrobat Pro subscription DOES unlock limited editing features in the iPad (only) version of Acrobat Reader.

    Will Port, some kinds of PDF work only on Mac and Windows; a subscription does not change this. They are pretty rare now, where do you get them?

    John Waller
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 7, 2020

    >>> an Acrobat Pro subscription DOES unlock limited editing features in the iPad (only) version of Acrobat Reader.

     

    Good to know. Any links that explain what features in iPad Acrobat Reader are unlocked by an Acrobat Pro subscription?

    Legend
    August 7, 2020

    Edit PDF is certainly unlocked; also by something called Acrobat Premium whatever that is... https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobat/ios/en/editpdf.html

    Bernd Alheit
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 7, 2020

    Want you open XFA forms?

    Amal.
    Community Manager
    Community Manager
    August 7, 2020

    Hi Will

     

    We are sorry for the trouble. As described you are unable to open the PDF file.

     

    We need some more information for a better understanding:

     

    • Are you opening the PDF file on ipad or on a desktop/laptop computer?
    • Is this a behavior with a particualr PDF file or with all the PDFs? Please try to open a different PDF file and check. if its a file specific issue please share the file with us for testing so we can get it checked at our end.
      Please upload the file on the Document Cloud https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/home/  , generate the link and share it with us.

     

    Regards

    Amal

     

     

    Will PortAuthor
    Participant
    August 7, 2020

    I'm on an iPad.  The files "fail to convert" when I try to upload to the cloud.  Here is the link to the DA31.  They are all fillable PDFs from DOD.

     

    https://armypubs.army.mil/ProductMaps/PubForm/Details.aspx?PUB_ID=1020382 

     

    Thanks

    Bernd Alheit
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 7, 2020

    You can fill the from with Acrobat Reader on MS Windows or May. Not possible with Acrobat Reader on iOS or Android.

    John Waller
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 6, 2020

    >>>ADOBE Acrobat DC (the $14.99 subscription)

     

    That subscription is for the desktop version of Acrobat Pro for Windows and Mac.

    https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/acrobat/pricing.html

     

    As John T Smith says, the free iPad app is for Acrobat Reader only.

     

    That said, opening PDF files on your iPad should still work OK.

    Will PortAuthor
    Participant
    August 7, 2020

    So I first downloaded the free app from the apple store.  That didn't open the PDF files, so I followed the instructions and subscribed to the DC version on the website.  When I signed out and signed back in to my app it shows the DC version in the app from apple store, but still does not open the files.

    John Waller
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 7, 2020

    Does Acrobat open PDFs on desktop but not on iPad? Or not on both? All PDFs or just one or two?

    John T Smith
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 6, 2020