Attachment Issues

How to Stop Outlook from Sending PDF Cloud Links Instead of Attachments

Maira Mehtab Oct 16, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users want to prevent Outlook from automatically converting standard PDF file attachments into Adobe Document Cloud web links.

How to Stop Outlook from Sending PDF Cloud Links

Product: Microsoft Outlook / Adobe Acrobat
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attaching a PDF file to an outgoing email message in Microsoft Outlook.
Observed behavior: Outlook sends a cloud link to the PDF file instead of attaching the actual physical file to the email.

Before you start

Ensure you have completely closed both Microsoft Outlook and Adobe Acrobat before making changes to add-ins or preferences so the new settings can take effect properly.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable the 'Send Links' Option in Adobe Acrobat

Adjusting the default email settings directly in Adobe Acrobat prevents it from overriding standard Outlook attachments.

By default, newer versions of Adobe Acrobat are configured to upload files to Adobe Document Cloud and share a link. Turning this feature off forces the software to attach the actual file.

Open Adobe Acrobat

Launch the Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader application on your computer.

Access Preferences

Click on 'Edit' in the top menu bar and select 'Preferences'. If you are using a Mac, click 'Acrobat' or 'Acrobat Reader' in the top menu bar and select 'Preferences'.

Navigate to Email Accounts

In the left-hand pane of the Preferences window, find and click on the 'Email accounts' category.

Disable Cloud Links

Look for the option labeled 'Always send files as a link' or 'Send links instead of attachments' and uncheck the box.

Restart Applications

Click 'OK' to save your changes, then completely close and restart both Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Outlook.

Disable the 'Send Links' Option in Adobe Acrobat

Attachment Behavior Restored: Once restarted, dragging and dropping a PDF or using the attach button will add the actual file to your email instead of a link.

Solution 2

Disable the Adobe Cloud Add-in in Outlook

If changing Acrobat preferences doesn't resolve the issue, you can turn off the Adobe integration add-in directly within Outlook.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Outlook change my PDF attachment to a cloud link?

This happens when you have the Adobe Acrobat Outlook add-in installed. By default, it is often configured to upload your files to the Adobe Document Cloud and share a link in the email body to save bandwidth and avoid file size limits.

Can I selectively send PDFs as links instead of attachments?

Yes. If you disable the automatic link feature in Acrobat preferences, you can still manually choose to share a file as a link by using the specific Adobe Cloud attachment button located in the Outlook message ribbon.

Will disabling the Adobe add-in remove my ability to read PDFs?

No. Disabling the Adobe add-in in Outlook only stops the email integration that converts attachments to links. You can still open, read, and attach PDF files normally using your preferred PDF viewer.

Outlook & Email Problems