Fix Microsoft Word Crashes When Creating PDFs with Acrobat PDF Maker
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where Microsoft Word crashes when attempting to save or convert a document to PDF using the Acrobat PDF Maker add-in.
- Product
- Microsoft Word, Acrobat PDF Maker
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Converting or saving a Word document to PDF format using the Adobe Acrobat add-in.
- Observed behavior
- Microsoft Word crashes unexpectedly during the PDF conversion process, potentially due to add-in conflicts, version incompatibilities, or missing CreatePDF components.
Ensure that your document is saved to prevent data loss, and verify that you have administrative privileges on your computer to repair or modify Office and Acrobat installations.
Disable and Re-enable the PDF Maker Add-in
Restarting the COM add-in can clear temporary glitches causing Word to crash during the PDF creation process.
Open Microsoft Word and navigate to File > Options.
Click on Add-ins in the left sidebar. At the bottom of the window, next to Manage, select COM Add-ins from the dropdown menu and click Go.
Uncheck the box for Acrobat PDFMaker Office COM Addin and click OK. Close and restart Microsoft Word.
Repeat the previous steps, but this time re-check the box for the Acrobat PDFMaker Office COM Addin to enable it again, then test your PDF export.
Repair Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Office
Corrupted installation files or registry components in either Acrobat or Office can lead to critical conversion crashes.
Start Word in Safe Mode to Test Compatibility
Running Word in Safe Mode isolates the PDF Maker from other potentially conflicting third-party add-ins.
Export Documents to PDF Natively with WPS Office
If Microsoft Word continues to crash or struggle with third-party PDF add-ins, consider switching to WPS Office. It features a built-in, lightweight PDF converter that securely turns your documents into high-quality PDFs without requiring Adobe Acrobat or extra plugins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Microsoft Word crash specifically when I click 'Create PDF'?
This usually happens due to a conflict between the Acrobat PDF Maker COM add-in and another installed Word plugin, an outdated version of Acrobat, or a corrupted CreatePDF registry component that fails to execute properly.
Can I save a Word document as a PDF without using the Acrobat add-in?
Yes. You can bypass the Acrobat PDF Maker entirely by going to File > Save As in Microsoft Word and selecting PDF from the file format dropdown menu, or by using the Microsoft Print to PDF feature.
What should I do if Acrobat says 'CreatePDF cannot be found'?
This error indicates a missing or severely corrupted Acrobat component. You will need to completely uninstall Adobe Acrobat from your system, restart your computer, and reinstall the latest version to restore the CreatePDF function.
