How to Fix Microsoft Word PDF Creation Errors with Acrobat DC
Question details
The user is unable to create PDFs from Microsoft Word using Acrobat PDFMaker or the Adobe PDF printer due to an ongoing error.
- Product
- Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat DC
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Attempting to convert a Word document to PDF using Adobe PDF tools or the PDFMaker add-in.
- Observed behavior
- An error message interrupts the PDF creation process, despite the user having an active Adobe Acrobat subscription and the software being fully installed.
Ensure that your Adobe Acrobat subscription is currently active and save your Microsoft Word document before attempting these troubleshooting steps to avoid data loss.
Sign Out and Sign Back In to Acrobat
Reactivating your Adobe account can resolve underlying synchronization issues between Microsoft Office and your Acrobat DC subscription.
A common cause for PDF conversion failures in Office is a silent token mismatch or synchronization error between the Acrobat application and Adobe's subscription servers. Forcing a re-login refreshes your subscription status.
Launch the Adobe Acrobat DC application on your computer.
Click on your profile icon in the top right corner or go to the 'Help' menu, then select 'Sign Out'.
Restart Adobe Acrobat and sign in again using the email and password associated with your active Adobe subscription.
Open Microsoft Word and attempt to use the Acrobat PDFMaker or Adobe PDF printer to create your PDF.
End the AcroTray.exe Process in Task Manager
Stopping the background Acrobat tray process can clear hung tasks that are preventing PDFMaker from converting documents.
Test Direct PDF Creation and Disable Antivirus
Verify if the issue is specific to Word by creating a PDF directly in Acrobat, and temporarily disable security software that might be blocking the conversion.
Use WPS Office to Create PDFs Without Extra Plugins
Skip the Acrobat DC errors and plugin conflicts entirely. WPS Office features a built-in, highly reliable PDF converter that exports documents instantly without relying on external PDF printers or expensive subscriptions.
- 1. Open document in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office Writer and open the Word document you want to convert.
- 2. Access the Menu: Click on the 'Menu' button located in the top left corner of the application window.
- 3. Select Export to PDF: Choose 'Export to PDF' from the dropdown list of options.
- 4. Export the file: Adjust your export settings, such as page range or save location, and click the 'Export to PDF' button to generate your file instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word say Acrobat PDFMaker is disabled?
Microsoft Word may automatically disable the Acrobat PDFMaker add-in if it detects that the add-in caused the application to crash or load slowly. You can re-enable it by going to File > Options > Add-ins, selecting 'COM Add-ins' from the Manage dropdown, clicking Go, and checking the box next to Acrobat PDFMaker.
Can I convert a Word document to PDF without Adobe Acrobat?
Yes. You can use Word's built-in 'Save As' feature and choose PDF from the file format dropdown, use the 'Export' menu, or use alternative productivity software like WPS Office which provides native, one-click 'Export to PDF' functionality.
What is the AcroTray.exe process?
AcroTray.exe is an essential background process belonging to Adobe Acrobat. It manages PDF conversion workflows, particularly when you print to the Adobe PDF printer or use Office add-ins. Stopping it via Task Manager often resets the conversion spooler and fixes hanging or frozen PDF creation errors.
