Fix Adobe Acrobat 2017 Crashing Outlook and Freezing During Scanning
Question details
Users are experiencing crashes when creating or replying to emails in Microsoft Outlook 2013 with the Adobe Acrobat 2017 add-in enabled, as well as freezing when attempting to scan PDF documents.

- Product
- Adobe Acrobat 2017, Microsoft Outlook 2013
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Replying to or creating emails with the Acrobat add-in enabled, and using the scanner function to create a PDF.
- Observed behavior
- Outlook completely freezes or crashes during email operations, and Acrobat becomes unresponsive when initiating a document scan.
Ensure that all active Microsoft Outlook and Adobe Acrobat processes are completely closed via the Windows Task Manager before attempting any repairs.
Update and Repair Adobe Acrobat
Installing the latest patches and running the built-in repair tool can resolve corrupted files causing the freezes.
Software updates often contain bug fixes for compatibility issues between Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Office components.
Open Adobe Acrobat. Navigate to the top menu and click on 'Help', then select 'Check for Updates'. Install any available updates and restart your computer.
If the issue persists after updating, open Acrobat again, go to the 'Help' menu, and select 'Repair Installation'.
Once the repair process completes, restart your computer. Open Microsoft Outlook and try creating an email, then test the scanning function in Acrobat to verify the fix.

Run Microsoft Outlook as Administrator
Running Outlook with elevated administrative privileges can bypass permission issues conflicting with the Acrobat add-in.
Try WPS Office for Stable Document Processing
If resolving Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Outlook add-in conflicts proves too frustrating, consider switching to WPS Office. It offers a lightweight, robust, and highly compatible environment for handling PDFs, emails, and document scanning without persistent crashes.
- 1. Download and Install: Visit the official WPS Office website to download the free suite and follow the straightforward installation instructions.
- 2. Open Your Documents: Launch WPS Office and directly open your existing PDFs, Word documents, or spreadsheets without worrying about formatting loss.
- 3. Edit and Scan: Utilize the built-in PDF tools to seamlessly scan, edit, and convert documents in a highly stable environment.

Frequently Asked Questions
How do I disable the Adobe Acrobat add-in in Microsoft Outlook?
Open Microsoft Outlook, click on 'File' in the top left corner, and select 'Options'. Go to 'Add-ins', select 'COM Add-ins' from the Manage dropdown menu at the bottom, and click 'Go'. Uncheck the 'Acrobat PDFMaker' box and click 'OK' to disable it.
Why does scanning freeze in Adobe Acrobat but work in other programs?
This usually happens due to a conflict between the TWAIN or WIA scanner drivers and Adobe Acrobat. Updating your scanner drivers from the manufacturer's website or running the Acrobat Repair Installation tool often resolves this specific communication error.
Will repairing Adobe Acrobat delete my customized settings or files?
No, running the 'Repair Installation' tool from the Help menu simply checks for missing or corrupted program files and replaces them. Your personal preferences, saved PDFs, and customized application settings will remain completely intact.




