How can I get Adobe PDF Maker Macro to stop reinstalling in Microsoft 365 after MS update?

Question

Adobe's PDFMaker Macro for Microsoft 365 [Office] applications displays error messages in my Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook Classic applications. I hate it. Only way I can remove it is to (1) run each app as an Administrator,(2) go to Options, (3) Manage COM Add-ins, and (4) select PDF Maker Macro and remove it.

But every time my computer runs updates for Microsoft Windows 11 or Microsoft 365 [Office], the PDF Maker Macro reinstalls itself, and I get error messages when I open those apps. I also don't like the space its commands take on Microsoft 365 apps' Ribbon. Have learned a better way to make Adobe PDFs out of Office applications (use the F12 command and check the appropriate options), so I have no use for the PDF Maker Macro. How can I get it to stop reinstalling itself?

Exquisite_Hummingbirdef41 · Accepted Answer

Hi there!For me, I found it here:%ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Acrobat DC\PDFMaker || (Copy and paste into the file search bar).I removed everything in the folder, but make sure that you keep the folder. Do not edit the name of the folder.To prevent this from repopulating (adobe is like a virus that wants this on our computers so bad), right click the PDF Maker file, choose properties, then security. Choose Edit to edit the permissions. Remove all permissions except you. Click apply and then you are done :)HOWEVER: This will break adobe a bit. When adobe updates, it will give you an error saying they cannot access this folder (that is good, thats the whole point lol). but it will be unable to finish the update. I am unsure if the rest of the updates will be applied or not. idk im not a computer science person xDHope this helps!SB

Electroscribe_2023 · Answer

I opened Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook Classic in Administrator mode.

Went to Options\Add-Ins\Manage COM adds, and clicked the Remove button next to PDFMaker.

Removed the items you mentioned and put them in a subfolder of my own User folder*
(C:\User\<me>\)* --but I left the PDFMaker folder empty.

That way, if Adobe ever stumbles running an updater, I can temporarily put them back in C:

Then I rebooted the computer.

When I opened Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook Classic in regular mode.

The PDFMaker icons in the ribbons did not appear anymore.

Just to be sure, went to Options\Add-Ins\Manage COM adds, and found the PDFMaker name --but unlike before, it was not highlighted. I clicked “remove” and this time, Windows did NOT tell me I had to be logged in as an Administrator to do that.

Rebooted the computer one last time, opened Word, and again went to Options\Add-Ins\Manage COM adds, and found the PDFMaker name --but still, it was not highlighted. And did not see all the PDFMaker garbage in Word’s Ribbon. So I presume it did not load. If this doesn’t work, will stop trying to fix it.

I noticed Adobe installs several add-ins into Microsoft 365 desktop apps, designed to nudge users to save our stuff on Adobe’s cloud servers or put web hyperlinks to PDFs I want to attach to emails -- instead of just attaching the files. So I why Adobe doesn’t simply make it easier for Microsoft 365 users to disable these add-ins. But I loathe the add-ins. Oh, well.

(*I don’t want the folder I made initially on the Desktop automatically uploaded to OneDrive). ProgramFiles\Adobe\Acrobat DC\PDFMaker

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