Fix Acrobat 2017 Save as PDF Add-In Not Working in Office 2016
Question details
The user is unable to use the Acrobat 2017 Save as PDF feature in Microsoft Office 2016 due to an add-in failure after a software update.
- Product
- Microsoft Office 2016 and Adobe Acrobat 2017
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to save or convert a Microsoft Office 2016 document into a PDF file using the Acrobat PDFMaker add-in tab.
- Observed behavior
- The Acrobat Save as PDF add-in stops working, freezes, or disappears from the Office ribbon, preventing successful PDF creation.
Ensure you have administrative privileges on your computer, as updating software and managing COM Add-ins require system-level permissions.
Update Software and Re-enable the Acrobat PDFMaker Add-In
Use this method to fix the core compatibility issue by applying the latest patches and forcing Office to recognize the PDF add-in again.
Software updates frequently introduce compatibility fixes. An Acrobat 2017 update may have caused a mismatch with your current Office 2016 build.
Microsoft Office sometimes automatically disables add-ins if it detects a crash or delay, so manually re-enabling it is necessary.
Open Adobe Acrobat 2017, click on 'Help' in the top menu bar, and select 'Check for Updates'. Follow the on-screen prompts to install any available patches.
Open any Office 2016 application like Word. Go to 'File' > 'Account' > 'Update Options' and click 'Update Now'.
In your Office application, go to 'File' > 'Options' > 'Add-Ins'. At the bottom, change the 'Manage' dropdown to 'COM Add-ins' and click 'Go'.
Find 'Acrobat PDFMaker Office COM Addin' in the list. Check the box next to it and click 'OK' to re-enable the functionality.
Use Acrobat's Internal File Conversion Tool
If the Office add-in refuses to activate, you can bypass Microsoft Office entirely and convert the file directly from within Adobe Acrobat.
Easily Save Documents as PDF Natively with WPS Office
Stop dealing with crashed add-ins and version compatibility issues. WPS Office comes with a built-in, native PDF converter that allows you to save any document, spreadsheet, or presentation directly to a high-quality PDF without needing third-party plugins like Adobe Acrobat.
- 1. Open your Document in WPS: Launch WPS Office and open your existing Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file.
- 2. Click on Export to PDF: Navigate to the 'Menu' button in the top left corner, or simply go to the 'Tools' tab on the ribbon.
- 3. Select PDF Export Options: Click on 'Export to PDF'. A dialog box will appear allowing you to select standard or compressed quality, and specify page ranges.
- 4. Save Your PDF: Click the 'Export' button, choose your desired destination folder, and your high-quality PDF is ready immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Microsoft Office 2016 automatically disable the Acrobat add-in?
Office 2016 automatically disables COM add-ins if it detects that they cause the application to load slowly or crash. An outdated Acrobat 2017 plugin often triggers this safeguard. You can force it back on via File > Options > Add-ins.
Do I need the Acrobat add-in to save a document as a PDF in Office 2016?
No. Microsoft Office 2016 has its own built-in PDF export feature. You can simply go to File > Save As, and choose 'PDF' from the file format dropdown. However, the Acrobat add-in provides advanced features like preserving specific bookmarks and hyperlink structures.
How do I repair the Acrobat PDFMaker installation?
Open your Windows Control Panel, go to 'Programs and Features', locate 'Adobe Acrobat 2017' in the list, right-click it, and select 'Change'. Choose the 'Repair' option in the setup wizard and follow the prompts.
