Office Settings & Configuration

How to Fix Acrobat PDFMaker Add-In Missing in Outlook and Word 2016

Adam Davis Oct 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user is unable to locate or use the Acrobat PDFMaker or Adobe PDF COM add-in within Microsoft Outlook or Word 2016, even after reinstalling Acrobat DC.

How to Fix Acrobat PDFMaker Add-In Missing from Outlook and Word 2016

Product: Microsoft Office 2016, Adobe Acrobat
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Attempting to utilize Adobe Acrobat's PDF creation and conversion features directly within the Microsoft Office 2016 interface.
Observed behavior: The Acrobat PDFMaker add-in is entirely missing from the Office ribbon and COM Add-ins list, and no related registry entries are visible to the user.

Before you start

Ensure you have administrator privileges on your computer, as you will need to access system-level Office settings and browse program files to re-register the add-in.

Solution 1Recommended

Update Office 2016 and Enable the COM Add-in

Check for the latest Microsoft Office updates and manually re-enable the Acrobat PDFMaker add-in from the standard Office Options menu.

Often, Microsoft Office updates resolve underlying compatibility issues that cause third-party add-ins to become disabled or hidden.

Update Office 2016

Open Word or Outlook. Navigate to File > Account > Update Options and click 'Update Now'. Allow the process to finish.

Access Office Add-ins

Go to File > Options and select 'Add-ins' from the left-hand menu pane.

Manage COM Add-ins

At the bottom of the window, locate the 'Manage' dropdown menu, select 'COM Add-ins', and click the 'Go' button.

Enable PDFMaker

Look for 'Adobe PDF' or 'Acrobat PDFMaker Office COM Add-in' in the list. If it is unchecked, check the box and click OK. If it is already checked, clear the box, restart the application, and then re-check it.

Update Office 2016 and Enable the COM Add-in

Solution 2

Manually Re-add the PDFMOfficeAddin.dll File

If the add-in does not appear in the COM Add-ins list at all, you must run Office as an administrator and browse for the Adobe DLL file manually.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Acrobat PDFMaker add-in keep disappearing in Office 2016?

This frequently occurs because Office applications automatically disable third-party COM add-ins if they cause the program to launch slowly or if a software crash is detected. It can also happen after a major Office or Windows update resets your settings.

Can I convert Word documents to PDF without the PDFMaker add-in?

Yes. Even without the add-in, you can open Adobe Acrobat directly and use the 'Create PDF' feature to convert your Office documents. Alternatively, you can use the built-in 'Save As' or 'Export' to PDF feature native to Word and Outlook 2016.

What should I do if the PDFMOfficeAddin.dll file is missing from my computer?

If navigating to the Adobe installation folder reveals that the DLL file is entirely missing, the software installation is corrupted. You should navigate to the Windows Control Panel, select Adobe Acrobat DC, and choose 'Repair' to restore the missing component.

How do I stop Office 2016 from automatically disabling my Acrobat add-in?

Go to File > Options > Add-ins. At the bottom, change the Manage dropdown to 'Disabled Items' and click Go. If PDFMaker is listed, select it and click Enable. To prevent future issues, ensure both Office and Adobe Acrobat are updated to their latest versions.

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