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Fix Adobe Acrobat Pro Trial Cannot Convert PDF to Word or Excel
Question details
The user is unable to convert a PDF to Word or Excel during the Adobe Acrobat Pro trial and is instead prompted to purchase an annual subscription plan.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to convert a single-page PDF to Microsoft Word or Excel using an active Adobe Acrobat Pro one-month trial.
- Observed behavior
- The application fails to convert the document and displays a prompt asking the user to purchase an annual subscription plan.
Verify that your trial subscription is currently active and that you are logged into the correct Adobe account associated with the trial.
Launch Adobe Acrobat Pro Instead of Adobe Reader
The most common reason for this issue is accidentally opening the PDF in the free Adobe Reader application, which requires a separate subscription for conversions, rather than using the Acrobat Pro trial application.
Many users download the Adobe Acrobat Pro trial but continue opening their files in Adobe Reader out of habit. Because these are two completely separate applications, Adobe Reader will still prompt you to purchase a subscription when you click on premium tools.
Exit any currently open PDF windows that display 'Adobe Acrobat Reader' in the application title bar.
Open your Windows Start menu or Mac Launchpad and search specifically for 'Adobe Acrobat Pro'.
Launch the Acrobat Pro application, click on 'File' > 'Open' from the top menu, and select the PDF you wish to convert.
Use the 'Export PDF' tool located in the right-hand pane to successfully convert your document to Word or Excel.
Verify PDF File Permissions and Formatting
Sometimes a file cannot be converted if it is an image-based scan without OCR or contains restricted editing permissions.
Convert PDFs to Word or Excel for Free with WPS Office
If your Adobe trial is causing frustration or has expired, you can easily convert PDFs to editable Word, Excel, or PowerPoint formats using WPS Office. It provides high-quality document conversion without complex subscription prompts.
- 1. Open your PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office on your computer, click on 'Open' on the home screen, and select the PDF file you want to convert.
- 2. Access the conversion tools: Navigate to the 'Tools' tab on the top ribbon and select 'PDF to Word' or 'PDF to Excel' depending on your needs.
- 3. Customize conversion settings: In the pop-up dialog, choose the specific pages you want to convert and select your desired output destination folder.
- 4. Start the conversion: Click the 'Convert' button to instantly transform your PDF into a fully editable Microsoft Office document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Adobe Acrobat Pro free trial include PDF conversion?
Yes, the full trial version of Adobe Acrobat Pro includes access to all premium features, including the ability to export and convert PDFs to editable Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.
Why does Adobe keep asking me to buy a subscription when I already started a trial?
This usually happens if you accidentally opened your file in the free Adobe Reader app instead of the Acrobat Pro application. It can also occur if you are not signed into the Adobe account associated with your active trial.
Can I convert a scanned PDF to Word during the trial?
Yes. Adobe Acrobat Pro has a built-in OCR (Optical Character Recognition) feature that extracts text from scanned documents, allowing you to convert image-based PDFs into editable Word files.
How do I make Acrobat Pro my default PDF viewer instead of Reader?
Right-click any PDF file on your computer, select 'Open with' followed by 'Choose another app'. Select Adobe Acrobat Pro from the list and ensure the box that says 'Always use this app to open .pdf files' is checked.
