PDF Conversion Issues

How to Convert an Email Message to PDF Using Adobe Acrobat PDFMaker

Chanuka Geekiyanage Oct 19, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to learn the proper method for converting email messages into PDF files using the Adobe Acrobat PDFMaker extension on a Windows system.

How to Convert an Email Message to PDF Using Adobe Acrobat PDFMaker

Product: Adobe Acrobat PDFMaker for Outlook
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Archiving, sharing, or securing important email communications by saving them as standardized PDF documents.
Observed behavior: The user is seeking official guidance or the exact procedural steps to utilize the PDFMaker feature successfully within their email client.

Before you start

Ensure that Adobe Acrobat is fully installed on your Windows computer and that the Acrobat PDFMaker add-in is enabled within Microsoft Outlook.

Solution 1Recommended

Convert Emails to PDF via the Acrobat Ribbon in Outlook

Use the dedicated Acrobat tab integrated into Microsoft Outlook to quickly and directly convert selected emails into PDF files.

When Adobe Acrobat is installed on your Windows PC, it automatically integrates a PDFMaker add-in into Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook. This provides a specialized ribbon menu for quick PDF creation.

Select Your Email

Open Microsoft Outlook and click to select one or multiple email messages from your inbox that you want to convert.

Access the Acrobat Tab

Navigate to the 'Acrobat' tab located on the top ribbon menu of the Outlook interface.

Initiate Conversion

Click on the 'Selected Messages' button, and choose 'Create New PDF' from the drop-down options.

Save the PDF File

In the 'Save Adobe PDF File As' dialog box, choose your desired destination folder, enter a file name, and click 'Save'.

Convert Emails to PDF via the Acrobat Ribbon in Outlook

Conversion Complete: The PDFMaker will process the email and any settings you specified, resulting in a high-quality PDF document.

Solution 2

Print the Email Using the Adobe PDF Printer

If the PDFMaker ribbon is missing or malfunctioning, you can use the built-in virtual printer method to save the email as a PDF.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Built-in PDF Conversion and Management

If you are experiencing issues with third-party add-ins or need a robust, all-in-one productivity suite, WPS Office offers powerful built-in PDF tools. Easily read, edit, and export your documents to PDF without the need for expensive external plugins.

1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office from the official website and install it on your computer.
2. Open Your Document: Save your email content as a standard text or Word document and open it in WPS Writer.
3. Export to PDF: Click the 'Menu' button in the top left corner, select 'Export to PDF', and save your file instantly.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.Built-in PDF editor allows you to convert, merge, and modify PDF files effortlessly.Lightweight application that uses minimal system resources.Free to download and provides a familiar user interface for a seamless transition.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Acrobat PDFMaker tab missing in Outlook?

The add-in might be disabled by Outlook for performance reasons. To re-enable it, go to File > Options > Add-ins. In the 'Manage' drop-down at the bottom, select 'COM Add-ins' and click 'Go'. Ensure the box next to 'Acrobat PDFMaker Office COM Addin' is checked, then click OK.

Can I convert multiple emails into a single PDF file?

Yes. By holding the Ctrl key (or Shift key for a continuous range), you can select multiple emails in your inbox. Then, go to the Acrobat tab, click 'Selected Messages', and choose 'Create New PDF'. PDFMaker will merge them into a single PDF document.

Are email attachments included when converting an email to PDF?

Yes, PDFMaker can handle attachments. By default, standard file attachments are embedded into the resulting PDF or appended as additional pages. You can adjust how attachments are handled by clicking 'Change Conversion Settings' within the Acrobat tab in Outlook before exporting.

PDF Troubleshooting