How to Fix Adobe PDF Printer Hanging in Excel and Word
Question details
Users need to resolve an issue where Microsoft Office applications freeze while trying to print to an Adobe PDF.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to generate a PDF file by selecting the Adobe PDF printer from the print menu in Microsoft Excel or Word.
- Observed behavior
- The Office application hangs or freezes continuously on an 'Accessing Printer' message, preventing the PDF from being created and locking up the software.
Verify that your Microsoft Office suite has no pending updates downloading in the background, and confirm whether you are running a supported version of Adobe Acrobat, as older versions like Pro XI are end-of-life and known to cause compatibility freezes.
Perform a Clean Reinstallation of Adobe Acrobat
Use this solution to remove corrupted or outdated Adobe PDF printer drivers that conflict with Microsoft Office print spooling processes.
If you are using an older version like Acrobat Pro XI, it is highly recommended to upgrade to Acrobat DC, as XI is no longer supported and frequently conflicts with newer Microsoft Office updates. A standard uninstall often leaves behind corrupted driver files, so using the official Adobe Cleaner Tool is necessary.
Open the Windows Control Panel, navigate to 'Programs and Features', locate Adobe Acrobat in the list, right-click it, and select 'Uninstall'.
Download and run the official Acrobat Cleaner Tool from Adobe's website to completely remove leftover registry keys and virtual printer driver files.
Restart your computer to ensure all background print spooler processes release the old Adobe files.
Download the latest supported version of Adobe Acrobat DC, run the installer, and then immediately check for updates within Acrobat before testing it in Excel or Word.
Update Microsoft Office and Verify Printer Permissions
Apply this solution if a recent Office patch caused an incompatibility with virtual printers.
Export to PDF Instantly with WPS Office
Skip the frustration of freezing virtual printers and outdated plugins. WPS Office includes a fast, native PDF converter that lets you save spreadsheets and documents as high-quality PDFs directly, completely bypassing the Windows print spooler.
- 1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Office and open the text document or spreadsheet you want to convert.
- 2. Access the Export Menu: Click on the 'Menu' button in the top-left corner of the interface.
- 3. Select Export to PDF: Choose 'Export to PDF' from the drop-down list to launch the built-in conversion tool.
- 4. Save Your PDF: Adjust your preferred export settings, choose a destination folder, and click the 'Export' button to instantly generate your PDF file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Microsoft Excel freeze on the 'Accessing Printer' message?
This happens when the application tries to communicate with the Windows Print Spooler to retrieve driver information from the selected virtual printer (like Adobe PDF) but fails to receive a response, causing the software to hang indefinitely.
Is Adobe Acrobat Pro XI still compatible with modern Office updates?
No. Acrobat Pro XI reached its end of life several years ago and no longer receives updates. As Microsoft Office continues to update, older virtual printer drivers often become incompatible and cause freezing issues.
Can I save as a PDF without using the Adobe PDF printer?
Yes. You can bypass the virtual printer by using the native 'Save As' feature in Excel or Word and selecting 'PDF' from the file format drop-down, or by utilizing the 'Microsoft Print to PDF' option.
Will running the Adobe Cleaner tool delete my existing PDF files?
No, the Adobe Cleaner tool only removes the software application files, corrupted registry entries, and system driver configurations. Your personal PDF documents and files will remain completely intact.
