Adobe PDFMaker fails to render images and embedded objects when converting Word (.DOC and .DOCX) documents to PDF
Adobe PDFMaker fails to render images and embedded objects when converting Word (.DOC and .DOCX) documents to PDF
Problem Description
When converting Microsoft Word documents to PDF using the Convert to Adobe PDF option provided by the Acrobat PDFMaker Office COM Add-in, the resulting PDF file does not include any graphical content contained in the document.
The issue affects JPG images, PNG images, screenshots, images copied and pasted from websites, embedded tables, OLE objects, and embedded Microsoft Excel objects. All graphical elements are completely removed during the conversion performed by Adobe PDFMaker.
The text and overall document structure are converted successfully; however, all graphical content is missing from the generated PDF.
Affected Environment
The issue occurs in Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 while using Adobe Acrobat Pro with the Acrobat PDFMaker Office COM Add-in enabled.
Source Document Validation
The Microsoft Word document was verified and found to be free from corruption, damage, or compatibility issues.
All images and embedded objects are displayed correctly within Microsoft Word. The document can also be edited, saved, and viewed without errors.
Testing was performed using both .DOC and .DOCX file formats, producing the same results when converted using Adobe PDFMaker.
Testing Performed
A PDF was generated using the native Microsoft Word Save As PDF functionality.
Result: all images, embedded objects, and graphical elements were successfully converted.
A PDF was generated using the Microsoft Word Export to PDF/XPS functionality.
Result: all images, embedded objects, and graphical elements were successfully converted.
A PDF was generated using Microsoft Print to PDF.
Result: all images, embedded objects, and graphical elements were successfully converted.
A PDF was generated using the Adobe PDFMaker Convert to Adobe PDF option.
Result: no images or embedded objects were included in the resulting PDF.
Scope of the Issue
The issue was reproduced using both .DOC and .DOCX file formats.
Testing included JPG images inserted from files, PNG images inserted from files, web-copied content, screenshots, and embedded Microsoft Excel objects.
The behavior was consistent across all tested scenarios.
Remediation Actions Performed
Adobe Acrobat Pro was updated to the latest available version.
An Adobe Acrobat installation repair was performed.
A Microsoft 365 repair was performed.
The Acrobat PDFMaker Office COM Add-in was disabled and re-enabled.
The workstation was restarted after all repairs and updates.
The add-in functionality was validated after the update, and the previously reported PDFMaker error message no longer appeared.
Additional testing was performed using multiple Word documents to eliminate the possibility of document corruption or file-specific issues.
After completing all remediation activities, the issue continues to occur exclusively when PDF conversion is performed through Acrobat PDFMaker.
Technical Analysis
Based on the testing performed, the Microsoft Word source files can be ruled out as the cause of the issue because the same documents generate fully functional PDF files using Microsoft Word native PDF export features as well as Microsoft Print to PDF.
File format incompatibility can also be ruled out, as the problem occurs with both .DOC and .DOCX files.
The evidence indicates that the issue occurs exclusively during the conversion process performed by the Acrobat PDFMaker Office COM Add-in.
Additionally, Adobe provides official documentation regarding PDFMaker troubleshooting and has documented compatibility issues involving PDFMaker and certain Microsoft Office environments. Similar reports regarding missing images and objects during Word-to-PDF conversion have also been published in Adobe's official community forums.
Support Request
Please confirm whether this behavior is a known issue affecting recent versions of Adobe Acrobat Pro and Acrobat PDFMaker.
Additionally, please confirm whether there are any documented issues related to the complete omission of images and embedded objects during Word-to-PDF conversion.
Finally, please provide any available fixes, hotfixes, recommended configurations, diagnostic procedures, or logging methods that may assist in identifying the root cause of this issue.
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