PDF Opening Issues

How to Make Word Open Embedded PDFs in Chrome Instead of Acrobat

Amos Gikunda Oct 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to configure Microsoft Word so that double-clicking an embedded PDF opens the file in Google Chrome rather than Adobe Acrobat Reader.

How to Make Microsoft Word Open Embedded PDFs in Google Chrome

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Accessing and opening a PDF object that has been inserted into a Microsoft Word document.
Observed behavior: Double-clicking the embedded PDF opens it in Adobe Acrobat Reader, even though the object displays a Google Chrome icon inside the Word document.

Before you start

Ensure that Google Chrome is correctly installed on your computer and save your current Microsoft Word document before adjusting system-level file associations.

Solution 1Recommended

Change Windows Default PDF App and Reinsert the Object

Change your system settings to recognize Chrome as the primary PDF handler, and then replace the old embedded object so it registers the new default application.

Microsoft Word relies on the Windows operating system's default application settings to decide which program to use when opening Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) objects.

If a PDF was embedded while Adobe Acrobat was the default reader, Word might retain that specific application link for that object. Therefore, simply changing the default app is often not enough; you must also reinsert the PDF.

Open Windows Settings

Click the Start button and select the gear icon to open Windows Settings, or press the Windows Key + I on your keyboard.

Navigate to Default Apps

Go to 'Apps' and then click on 'Default apps' in the left-hand menu. Scroll down and click on 'Choose default apps by file type'.

Assign Google Chrome to PDFs

Scroll down the list until you find the '.pdf' extension. Click on the current default application (Adobe Acrobat) and select Google Chrome from the pop-up list.

Delete the Old Embedded PDF

Return to your Microsoft Word document, click on the existing embedded PDF object that opens in Acrobat, and press the Delete key.

Reinsert the PDF Object

Go to the 'Insert' tab on the Word ribbon, click 'Object' in the Text group, select the 'Create from File' tab, browse for your PDF, and click 'OK'. It will now correctly open in Google Chrome.

Change Windows Default PDF App and Reinsert the Object

Icon Mismatch Warning: If you check 'Display as icon' during insertion, Word will pull the icon of the current default app (Chrome). Ensure the default app is changed before doing this.

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Avoid External App Conflicts with WPS Office

Struggling with Windows default app settings and OLE object linking can be frustrating. WPS Office is an all-in-one suite that handles Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and PDFs natively within a single tabbed workspace.

1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office for free from the official website and install it on your Windows PC.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my embedded PDF show a Chrome icon but still open in Adobe Acrobat?

Word caches the icon associated with the file type at the exact moment the object is embedded. If the default app was later changed to Chrome, or if Acrobat hijacked the default setting in the background, the visual icon and the actual launching application will mismatch.

Do I absolutely have to delete and reinsert the PDF file?

Yes, in most cases. OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) objects often hardcode the application association used during their creation. Merely changing the Windows default app usually only affects newly inserted objects.

Can I change the default app for just one specific embedded PDF without changing system settings?

No. Microsoft Word relies entirely on global Windows system settings to handle embedded objects. You cannot assign a specific program to an individual embedded object from within Word.

Will this fix work on older versions of Windows like Windows 10?

Yes. The process is very similar in Windows 10. You navigate to Settings > Apps > Default apps > Choose default apps by file type, find .pdf, and switch it to Google Chrome.

PDF Troubleshooting