How to Fix Outlook Freezing When Sending a PDF from Acrobat DC
Question details
Microsoft Outlook freezes or becomes unresponsive when the user attempts to send a PDF document directly via email from Adobe Acrobat DC.
- Product
- Microsoft Outlook and Adobe Acrobat DC
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Using the 'Send File' or email integration feature within Adobe Acrobat DC to automatically attach a PDF to a new Microsoft Outlook email message.
- Observed behavior
- Outlook hangs or freezes during the process and only resumes normal function after Adobe Acrobat is force-closed. Reinstalling both applications does not permanently resolve the issue.
Ensure you have saved any drafts in Microsoft Outlook and fully closed both Outlook and Adobe Acrobat DC before adjusting application settings.
Disable the Acrobat PDFMaker Add-in in Outlook
Turning off the Adobe Acrobat integration add-in within Outlook can resolve inter-process communication conflicts that cause the freeze.
The issue is often caused by a conflict with the Acrobat PDFMaker COM Add-in rather than the PDF file itself. Disabling this add-in stops Acrobat from forcing Outlook into an unresponsive state during file handoffs.
Launch Microsoft Outlook, click on the 'File' tab in the top-left corner, and select 'Options' from the bottom of the menu.
In the Outlook Options window, select 'Add-ins' from the left sidebar. At the bottom of the screen, ensure 'Manage' is set to 'COM Add-ins' and click 'Go...'.
Locate 'Acrobat PDFMaker Office COM Addin' in the list. Uncheck the box next to it and click 'OK'. Restart Outlook and test sending a PDF manually.
Attach the PDF Manually via Outlook
Bypassing Acrobat's built-in email button and attaching the file directly within Outlook avoids triggering the software conflict.
Create a New Outlook Profile
Setting up a fresh Outlook profile can fix underlying data corruption that causes Outlook to hang when receiving requests from other apps.
Experience Seamless PDF Handling and Email Integration with WPS Office
If Microsoft Outlook and Adobe Acrobat continue to conflict and cause system freezes, consider switching to WPS Office. WPS Office provides a built-in, lightweight PDF editor and seamless email integration that avoids heavy system resource demands, ensuring a smooth workflow without software crashes.
- 1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office for free from the official website and follow the quick installation process.
- 2. Open Your PDF: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF document using the lightweight built-in WPS PDF editor.
- 3. Share Without Freezing: Use the built-in 'Share' feature to instantly attach your document to your default email client without triggering software conflicts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Outlook freeze only when sending an email from Acrobat?
This happens due to a breakdown in communication between Acrobat's PDFMaker add-in and Outlook's MAPI (Messaging Application Programming Interface). When Acrobat attempts to push the file and Outlook fails to respond correctly, the process hangs.
Will disabling the Acrobat add-in in Outlook affect my ability to read PDFs?
No. Disabling the COM add-in in Outlook only removes the Adobe Acrobat integration features (like the Acrobat ribbon tab) from within Outlook. You can still open, read, and manually attach PDFs to your emails.
What should I do if my system says 'MAPI failure' when trying to send a PDF?
A MAPI failure indicates your default email client is either not set correctly or is corrupted. Go to Windows Settings > Apps > Default Apps and ensure Outlook is set as the default email client. If the issue persists, running a Quick Repair on Microsoft Office often resolves MAPI errors.
Does reinstalling the software fix the Outlook and Acrobat freeze issue?
As noted in user reports, simply reinstalling Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat DC often does not permanently fix the problem because leftover registry keys or corrupted Outlook profiles remain on the system. You must manually disable the conflicting add-in or create a new Outlook profile.
