How to Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac

This wikiHow teaches you how to use Adobe Digital Editions to open Adobe Content Server Message (.acsm) ebooks in Windows and macOS.

Things You Should Know

  • On Windows, install Adobe Digital Editions and find your .acsm file. Right click the file and select Open with… > Adobe Digital Editions.
  • Enter your ebook vendor information or skip and check "I want to authorize my computer without an ID”. Click Authorize > OK to view the file.
  • On Mac, install Adobe Digital Editions and navigate to your .acsm file.
  • Hold down the Control key and click on the file.Then, go to Open With > Adobe Digital Editions to view.
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Windows

  1. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 1
    1
    Install Adobe Digital Editions. If you don’t already have this free app installed:
  2. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 2
    2
    Press ⊞ Win+E. This opens the File Explorer.
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  3. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 3
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    Navigate to the folder with the .acsm file.
    • If you can't find it, type its name (or just type *.acsm) into the search box at the top-right corner of the window, then press ↵ Enter. It should appear in the search results.
  4. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 4
    4
    Right-click the .acsm file. A context menu will appear.
  5. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 5
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    Select Open with…. Another menu will expand.
  6. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 6
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    Click Adobe Digital Editions. An authorization screen will appear.
  7. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 7
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    Enter your ebook vendor information (optional). If you don’t have this information or don’t want to enter it, skip to the next step. Select the vendor of the ebook from the drop-down menu, then enter your login and passcode.
    • This step is helpful if you want to be able to transfer DRM-protected ebooks between devices (up to 6).
  8. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 8
    8
    Check the “I want to authorize my computer without an ID” box. Only do this if you didn’t enter your vendor information in the last step.
    • If prompted, click Authorize on the pop-up message to confirm this change.
  9. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 9
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    Click Authorize. It’s the button at the bottom-right corner of the window. This authorizes your computer, and a confirmation screen will appear.
  10. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 10
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    Click OK. You can now read the .acsm file in Adobe Digital Editions.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

macOS

  1. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 11
    1
    Go to https://www.adobe.com/solutions/ebook/digital-editions/download.html in a web browser. This is the download site for Adobe Digital Editions, a free application that allows you to read .acsm files on your Mac.
  2. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 12
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    Click Download Digital Edition Macintosh. This downloads the installer package (.dmg) to your Mac.
  3. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 13
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    Double-click the installer package. It’s the file you just downloaded.
    • By default, downloads are saved to your Downloads folder.
  4. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 14
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    Double-click the installer package. It’s called Digital Editions 4.5 Installer.pkg (version number may vary).
  5. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 15
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    Follow the on-screen instructions to install the app. Start by clicking Continue, then go through each screen until the application is installed.
    • You’ll have to enter the admin password toward the end of the installation.
  6. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 16
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    Open Finder
    Mac Finder
    .     It’s in the Dock, which is usually at the bottom of the screen.
  7. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 17
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    Open the folder that contains the .acsm file.
  8. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 18
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    Hold the Control key as you click the file. A context menu will appear.
  9. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 19
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    Click Open With.
  10. Image titled Open an Acsm File on PC or Mac Step 20
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    Click Adobe Digital Editions. This opens the .acsm file in Adobe Digital Editions.
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About This Article

Nicole Levine, MFA
Written by:
Nicole Levine, MFA
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 152,540 times.
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Co-authors: 4
Updated: October 25, 2022
Views: 152,540
Categories: Mac | Basic Computer Skills
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