How to Fix Acrobat Pro DC Crashes When Creating PDFs from Office 365
Question details
The user needs to stop Adobe Acrobat Pro DC from crashing when trying to convert Microsoft Word or Outlook documents into PDF files.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, Microsoft Office 365
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Creating a PDF file from Microsoft Office 365 applications using the Acrobat PDFMaker add-in.
- Observed behavior
- Acrobat Pro DC application crashes unexpectedly during the PDF creation process, even when PDFMaker add-ins are correctly enabled.
Ensure you have saved all open documents in Microsoft Word and Outlook to prevent data loss, and verify that your Windows operating system is fully updated.
Repair Acrobat Installation and Reset Preferences
Use the built-in repair tool and reset Adobe preference files to default to fix corrupted settings that cause the software to crash.
Software crashes during PDF conversion are often caused by missing application files or corrupted user preferences. Running a quick built-in repair and clearing old preference caches is the safest first step.
Open Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, navigate to the 'Help' menu at the top of the window, and click on 'Repair Installation'.
If the software still crashes, close Acrobat. Press Win + R, type '%AppData%', and navigate to the Adobe folder. Rename the 'Acrobat' folder to 'Acrobat_old' to reset your preferences to their defaults.
Clean Reinstall Using Adobe Acrobat Cleaner Tool
Thoroughly remove all traces of Acrobat using the official cleaner tool to resolve deep-seated software conflicts before reinstalling.
Convert Documents to PDF Flawlessly with WPS Office
Skip the complex troubleshooting. WPS Office features a built-in, highly stable PDF converter that lets you export documents to PDF directly—no third-party plugins or extra software required.
- 1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Office and open your existing Word document.
- 2. Access the Export Tool: Navigate to the 'Tools' tab in the top ribbon and select the 'Export to PDF' option.
- 3. Save as PDF: Configure your desired export settings and click 'Export' to generate your PDF instantly without crashes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Acrobat crash specifically when using the Office 365 PDFMaker add-in?
This typically occurs due to compatibility issues between specific versions of the Acrobat PDFMaker add-in and recent Microsoft Office 365 updates, or due to corrupted Adobe preference files.
Will repairing the Acrobat installation delete my custom stamps and signatures?
A standard repair via the 'Help' menu usually keeps your user data intact. However, manually resetting Acrobat preferences to their defaults may remove certain personalized workspace settings.
Is there an alternative way to create PDFs if Acrobat continues to crash?
Yes. You can bypass Acrobat entirely by using the native 'Save As' or 'Export' > 'Create PDF/XPS Document' features directly within Microsoft Word or Outlook.
