Skip to main content
HMack
HMack
Participant
November 7, 2016
Answered

An unexpected error occurred. PDFMaker was unable to produce the Adobe PDF

  • November 7, 2016
  • 17 replies
  • 54393 views

I'm using Acrobat Pro XI (Version 11.0.18)

Whenever I try to create a PDF from a word document from within Acrobat Pro, I get the error, "An unexpected error occurred. PDFMaker was unable to produce the Adobe PDF"

I also get the same error when I try to batch process the word documents from the option in Windows Explorer.

The only way I can PDF multiple Word Documents is to go into each one individually in Word (Office 2013) and save as PDF, which is really tiem consumign when I have 50 word documents. I have tried disabling the PDF add-on for Word - and same error. Also same error when I re-enable the addo-on.

I can't believe we paid hundreds of dollars for this software and yet the only customer support is this help forum. Thanks, Adobe.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer lanep78272571

    Folks, I had this same problem on two separate pc's.  It took me a couple of hours to figure out a way to work around it.  Specifically, using Windows 7 and 8.1, Word 365, and Adobe writer subscription or whatever, when I would right click on the word document and convert to pdf or combine as a pdf, it would return the error.  The other methods would work fine, but since I routinely compile word documents to a single pdf to circulate drafts, this was an unacceptable workaround.  There was no support online except for one very obscure mention on a thread somewhere.

    Bottom line, the only way I have  solved the problem is to uninstall microsoft office, and then re-install microsoft office with the adobe product still on the pc.  In other words, install word after adobe.  Then, in word, go to file - options - add ins and make sure the acrobat pdfmaker office com addin is active.  Full disclosure, this last step may not be necessary, as it may have resulted from my previously making it inactive when trying to figure this issue out.  Also, my assistant had previously attempted to reinstall adobe, and that did not help the problem.  So it appears to be a matter of installing word after adobe.

    I hope this saves you the aggravation that I have felt over this same problem for a total of four hours.

    17 replies

    S
    software.registrations@ca
    Participant
    June 14, 2018

    I am also having the same issue!

    win10 1709 64bit

    Office 2013 Enterprise

    Acrobat Pro DC v2017.011.30078

    I'm getting error when right clicking Word doc and selecting Convert to Adobe PDF.  It works if I open the Word doc in Word and create manually but customers have hundreds of docs they need to convert in Windows Explorer

    Can you please send a fix for this?

    many thanks

    L
    lanep78272571Correct answer
    Participant
    June 14, 2018

    Folks, I had this same problem on two separate pc's.  It took me a couple of hours to figure out a way to work around it.  Specifically, using Windows 7 and 8.1, Word 365, and Adobe writer subscription or whatever, when I would right click on the word document and convert to pdf or combine as a pdf, it would return the error.  The other methods would work fine, but since I routinely compile word documents to a single pdf to circulate drafts, this was an unacceptable workaround.  There was no support online except for one very obscure mention on a thread somewhere.

    Bottom line, the only way I have  solved the problem is to uninstall microsoft office, and then re-install microsoft office with the adobe product still on the pc.  In other words, install word after adobe.  Then, in word, go to file - options - add ins and make sure the acrobat pdfmaker office com addin is active.  Full disclosure, this last step may not be necessary, as it may have resulted from my previously making it inactive when trying to figure this issue out.  Also, my assistant had previously attempted to reinstall adobe, and that did not help the problem.  So it appears to be a matter of installing word after adobe.

    I hope this saves you the aggravation that I have felt over this same problem for a total of four hours.

    O
    oliverar2018
    Participant
    May 22, 2018

    I did all steps from "Troubleshoot Acrobat PDFMaker" chapter, and now I can convert Word file to pdf, but I can't do the same with Excel docs.

    The same error has occured again.

    D
    Adobe Employee
    divyap69359112
    Adobe Employee
    May 23, 2018

    Hi Oliverar,

    Try doing an online repair for Microsoft Office.

    Go to Control Panel<Program and Features<Office 2013,2016,365<change<Online repair.

    Regards,

    Divya

    D
    Adobe Employee
    divyap69359112
    Adobe Employee
    May 9, 2018

    It seems that PDFMaker plugin has issues on your machine. Can you check this out: Troubleshoot Acrobat PDFMaker issues in Microsoft Office on Windows and let us know if that helps.

    Launch Word and use PDFMaker from Microsoft Word ribbon and check if you are able to convert doc file to PDF file?

    Also, check upon launch Word you have PDFMaker enabled.

    Let us know if that helps.

    C
    c-diram
    Participant
    May 2, 2018

    Hi,

    I also have the same problem.  Can you please share the tool with me?

    O
    oliverar2018
    Participant
    April 25, 2018

    Hi,

    I also have the same problem.

    Can you please share with me the fix tool. TY

    B
    billh58025271
    Participant
    April 10, 2018

    I am still having this issue on multiple workstations.  If there is a tool that can be provided to fix this issue it would be greatly appreciated, or even steps to address it.  This is a growing problem and there appears to be no publicly available solution for this.

    T
    TheRealSuperMar
    Participant
    April 2, 2018

    I'm having the same issue. Is there a tool that exists or a known solution for this?

    Derel Tam
    Derel Tam
    Participant
    March 28, 2018

    Hi!

    I have the same problem.

    Can you please share with me the fix too. thank you.

      francinem8540733
      francinem8540733
      Participant
      February 28, 2018

      It is nearly March, 2018.  This issue persists, as we are having this issue, too. 

      Why is the solution not being posted here in this forum so that people can actually resolve the issue without having to post yet another message?  This is concerning.

      Can someone please send/share the solution?  I have nearly 200 users with this issue.

      We're on Windows 7/Office 2010 (soon to change so we're in the 21st century).

      Please send a solution.

      Thank you.

        B
        briangmvp
        Participant
        February 28, 2018

        Since they weren't getting back to me I chatted them today.  They had to remote in to my computer to fix the issue and now it is working.

        francinem8540733
        francinem8540733
        Participant
        February 28, 2018

        Good to know.  I contacted them, too.  They ran the same tool and it appears ours might be a Microsoft issue.  Time will tell.

        B
        BillerDude
        Participating Frequently
        February 22, 2018

        I am also getting this same issue!

        Windows 10 x64 1709

        Office 2013 x86 SP1

        Adobe Acrobat 2017 Pro 17.0.11.30070

        I can use the Create PDF option within Word\Excel, but when I try to use the Right-Click option on a Word\Excel file I get this error.  I also receive the error when I try to create a PDF from directly within Acrobat, Tools->Create PDF.  Same error.  Each time I try it also holds the file open and I have to use Task Manager to close a locked instance of Word\Excel.

        I have found that if I go to Programs and Features and Change the installation of Acrobat, removing PDFMaker, that I can then use the Righ-Click option and create PDFs from within Acrobat, but that removes the Office Addin (Acrobat tab).

        If there is a fix for this available I would LOVE it, I work in the IT department for my company and have been able to reproduce this issue on at least one of my user's workstations as well as my own, but other machines do not have the issues.

        Show more replies
        Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
        Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices