Other PDF Issues

How to Fix Acrobat Closing When Emailing PDFs Through Outlook

Emma BrownEmma Brown Oct 28, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to fix an issue where the PDF software automatically crashes or closes when trying to send a document via a default email client.

How to Fix Acrobat Closing When Emailing PDFs Through Outlook
Product
Adobe Acrobat Pro, Microsoft Outlook
Device & OS
Windows 10
Scenario
Attempting to send a PDF document via email directly from Adobe Acrobat using Outlook 2016.
Observed behavior
Acrobat closes unexpectedly after the user clicks 'Continue' in the default email application dialog.
Before you start

Ensure you have saved all open PDF documents and completely close any background instances of Acrobat, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Outlook using the Windows Task Manager.

Solution 1Recommended

Configure Outlook as the Default Email Application in Acrobat

Manually setting Microsoft Outlook as the default mail application within the PDF software's internal preferences resolves the routing conflict that causes it to crash.

Often, the system default email application is not properly recognized by the PDF software. Forcing the software to specifically use Outlook for email actions usually stabilizes the sharing process.

1
Open Preferences

Launch Adobe Acrobat Reader or Acrobat Pro. Go to the top menu and select 'Edit', then click on 'Preferences'.

2
Navigate to Email Accounts

In the left-hand pane of the Preferences window, find and click on the 'Email Accounts' category.

3
Select Microsoft Outlook

In the list of email accounts, click on 'Default email application (Microsoft Outlook)' to highlight it.

4
Make Default

Click the 'Make Default' button. Ensure a green check mark appears next to the Outlook listing to confirm the change, then click 'OK'.

Configure Outlook as the Default Email Application in Acrobat
Verification: Once configured, try opening a test PDF and using the email button again. The Outlook draft window should now open without closing your PDF.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my PDF software close when I try to email a document?

This typically happens due to a routing conflict between the default email client settings within the PDF software, interfering legacy browser extensions, or an outdated version of Microsoft Outlook.

How do I ensure Outlook is set as my default email app in Windows 10?

Go to Windows Settings > Apps > Default apps. Look under the 'Email' section and ensure Microsoft Outlook is selected. If a different app is listed, click it and choose Outlook from the list.

Will repairing Microsoft Office fix the email crash issue?

While repairing Office can fix missing system registry keys, it usually does not resolve this specific issue if the problem is rooted in the PDF application's internal preferences or conflicting Internet Explorer add-ons.