Fix Acrobat Taking Too Long to Attach PDFs to Outlook
Question details
The user experiences a severe delay of 1 to 2 minutes when attempting to send small PDF files as email attachments from Adobe Acrobat DC Standard through Outlook 2016.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat DC Standard, Microsoft Outlook 2016
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Trying to share a PDF document directly from the Adobe Acrobat interface using the default desktop email client.
- Observed behavior
- The application hangs or takes an unusually long time to attach the file to a new Outlook message, even after reinstalling the software and operating system.
Make sure your Microsoft Outlook application is fully closed and no background email synchronization processes are running before modifying add-ins.
Disable the Adobe Send and Track Add-in in Outlook
Disabling conflicting Adobe COM add-ins inside Outlook often resolves the synchronization delay.
Adobe Acrobat installs an add-in called 'Adobe Send and Track' (or Adobe Document Cloud) into Outlook to track large files. This add-in can sometimes cause severe performance issues and delays when trying to pass a file from Acrobat to the mail client.
Launch Microsoft Outlook 2016. Click on 'File' in the top-left corner, then select 'Options' from the bottom of the menu.
In the Outlook Options window, click on 'Add-ins' located in the left-hand sidebar.
At the bottom of the window next to 'Manage', ensure 'COM Add-ins' is selected from the dropdown menu and click the 'Go...' button.
Find 'Adobe Send and Track for Microsoft Outlook' or similar Adobe add-ins in the list. Uncheck the box next to it and click 'OK'.
Restart Outlook and Adobe Acrobat. Try sending a PDF again to see if the attachment speed has improved.
Use the Webmail Option in Acrobat
Bypass the local Outlook application link by configuring Acrobat to send PDFs directly through your email provider's web server.
Share PDFs Instantly via Email Using WPS Office
If Adobe Acrobat continues to struggle with Outlook integration, try WPS Office. The built-in WPS PDF tool integrates seamlessly with default mail clients, allowing you to attach and share documents instantly without heavy background processing or frustrating delays.
- 1. Open the PDF with WPS Office: Right-click your PDF file, select 'Open with', and choose WPS Office.
- 2. Access the Share Menu: In the top navigation bar, locate and click the 'Share' button.
- 3. Select Email: Click on 'Email' from the dropdown list of sharing options.
- 4. Send Your Document: Outlook will instantly open a new draft with your PDF attached. Add your recipient and click send.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Adobe Acrobat freeze when trying to open Outlook?
This is typically caused by a corrupted MAPI (Messaging Application Programming Interface) registry key, or a conflict with an active COM add-in inside Outlook that is attempting to sync the file to a cloud service before sending.
Does the size of the PDF affect how long it takes to attach to an email?
Yes, very large files take longer to process. However, if you are experiencing a 1 to 2 minute delay for a file smaller than 1MB, it is an application link error between Acrobat and Outlook, rather than a file size issue.
How do I update Adobe Acrobat to see if it fixes the Outlook bug?
Open Adobe Acrobat, go to 'Help' in the top menu bar, and click 'Check for Updates'. Follow the on-screen prompts to install the latest patches, which often contain fixes for known email client integrations.
