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Fix Access ActiveX PDF Control Runtime Error 438

Tauseeq Magsi Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve Runtime Error 438 in Microsoft Access when assigning a PDF file path to an Adobe PDF Reader ActiveX control.

How to Fix Access ActiveX PDF Control Runtime Error 438

Product: Microsoft Access
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Opening or assigning a PDF file to an Adobe Acrobat ActiveX control embedded in an Access form via VBA.
Observed behavior: The system throws Runtime Error 438, indicating that the object does not support the property or method being called.

Before you start

Ensure that a compatible version of Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader is properly installed and licensed on the computer running the database.

Solution 1Recommended

Adjust the VBA Property Name for the PDF Control

Update your VBA code to use the correct property name depending on the specific version of the Adobe ActiveX control installed.

Runtime error 438 occurs when VBA attempts to call a property that does not exist for the specified object. Different versions of the Adobe PDF Reader ActiveX control use different property names to set the source file path.

Open the VBA Editor

Open your Microsoft Access database and press Alt + F11 to launch the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) Editor.

Locate the ActiveX control reference

Find the line of code where you are setting the file path for the embedded PDF control (e.g., Forms!ViewPDFForm!ActiveXCtl2).

Change the property name

If your code uses '.Source', change it to '.src' (e.g., Forms!ViewPDFForm!ActiveXCtl2.src = filepath). Conversely, if it uses '.src', try changing it to '.Source'.

Compile and test

Go to Debug > Compile Database in the VBA menu. Save your changes, switch back to Access, and test the form to confirm the error is resolved.

Adjust the VBA Property Name for the PDF Control

Consistency Requirement: The required version of the Adobe control and its corresponding property must be consistent on every computer that runs this Access database.

Solution 2

Re-add and Register the ActiveX Control

Verify that the Adobe ActiveX control is correctly registered and added through the Form Design tools.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this Access database work on one computer but throw Error 438 on another?

The required Adobe ActiveX control must be installed, registered, and licensed on every single computer that runs the database. Different computers might have different versions of Adobe Reader installed, leading to property mismatches (such as requiring .src instead of .Source).

How can I check if the Adobe ActiveX control is available in Access?

Open a form in Design View, click 'Insert ActiveX Control' in the Form Design ribbon, and scroll through the list to look for 'Adobe PDF Reader'. If it is missing, you need to install or repair your Adobe Reader software.

Can I view PDFs in Access without using ActiveX controls?

Yes. While ActiveX controls provide an embedded viewing experience directly on the form, you can alternatively use VBA's Application.FollowHyperlink method to simply open the PDF file in the user's default external PDF viewer, which completely avoids Error 438.

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