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Question

Runtime error 53 when using Microsoft Word and Powerpoint

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
January 14, 2023
8 replies
18741 views

Help! Been on the phone 3x with Adobe staff, 12 hours on this Runtime Error 53 Visual Basic MACPDFM. Adobe has been helpful in doing a temporary fix (they acknowledge it's an issue ADOBE has) but then the problem continues to come back for Microsoft Word and Powerpoint.

Does any user or Adobe customer have a solution that is PERMANENT or is this something I will need to live with this error every time I open a word or ppt file?

Seeking "HOW TO", "GENERAL TROUBLESHOOTING" guidance from the experts

M

matthew_4585

New Participant

I was having the same error in WORD. I was able to find the file within Microsoft Word.
Tools/Templates and add ins
if you select the file LinkCreation.dotm, the full path appears below.

Mine was in MacHD/Library/applicatino Support/Microsoft/Office 360/user content/startup/word

SaveAsAdobePDF.ppam is in the same location .../startup in a folder called Powerpoint

I deleted the LinkCreation file and the error down't come up when starting a blank document

Does this help?

M

mikehalloran

Participating Frequently

Although and other solutions do work, the effects are often temporary. Later Microsoft and Adobe updates sometimes reenable this annoying Runtime error 53.

I've given up on trying to figure out which company is to blame. I just play another round of Whack-A-Mole when one of the Macs belonging to my wife or me shows this crap again.

S

Starpoint5C46

New Participant

MAKE SURE YOU DO THIS FROM THE MAC HD AND NOT USER

Use the Library folder and NOT the User/Library/

THIS IS THE SOLUTION FOR THIS ANNOYING ERROR!!! Thanks a lot! Adobe & Microsfot need to let everyone know better...

I was searching for ages... All old solutions won't work. My folder was empty. No file like "linkCreation.dotm" and "SaveAsAdobePDF.ppam" was there.

Use the Library folder and NOT the User/Library/

--> Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office 365/User Content/Startup

Both files are now in there.

Afterwards you will be getting an error when opening Powerpoint, but now you're able to go to Add-ins and remove the Adobe Add-in via "-". This was not possible before and unselecting always activated it again on startup.

D

dr._robert_1578

Participating Frequently

I have the same issues with MacPDFM file and LinkCreation.dotm template returning as checked when reopening Word. MS directs me to this forum. Has anyone yet found a solution?

S

Sam_Stein7332

New Participant

Yes. Use the app https://findanyfile.app/

You can search for the two files you need to delete and then delete them. They don't come up using finder, but this app does find them, so you're able to delete them.

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dr._robert_1578

Participating Frequently

Hi Sam.

Thank you very much! That worked as soon as I found the extra linkcreation file! 😊 That's a great utility.

D

D668458Author

New Participant

the last fix "finally worked" for me on my Mac which was to go into Finder to the Microsoft Office 365 files for PPT and Word and do a deletion. this seems to be where the files are NOW located. I deleted and openned up Word and Powerpoint without any issues.....Let's see as I have to do a few presentation decks today if the darned file "reappears".......fingers crossed!

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Stephan35878553ffll

New Participant

The (well-known) runtime-error 53 reappears after installing MacOS Sequoia 15. This time, the well-practiced routine (deleting linkCreation.dotm or Save AsAdobePDF.ppam respectively from their respective folders Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office365/User Content.localized/Startup/… does not work anymore, as the two files are no longer there and thus can't be deleted… (in fact, I searched the files with the finder search engine and could’t find them anywhere else).

So what to do about this tiresome error?

Thanks a lot,

Stephan

A

Alexandra38466306k5mh

New Participant

I had the same issue. I´m no expert, but I tried to find linkCreation.dotm or Save AsAdobePDF.ppam in other directories. The finder was not sucessfull, the tool "Find any file" was. I deleeted both files and the problem is solved 😉

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mikehalloran

Participating Frequently

Yes! Find Any File is what Apple's Finder/Find and Spotlight should always have been. I can't imagine not having it anymore.

You can buy it directly from the developer but I prefer the App Store since that version notifies you when updates are available. Thomann is good at keeping up with macOS changes.

patriciam45564283

New Participant

I think I had the same problem (new Macbook/installed Word/every time I opened a document I got the "runtime error 53" message) but I went to the Word/Tools/Templates and Addins and unchecked the only addin which was "linkCreation.dotm" -- had nothing to do with Adobe Acrobat but the next word document I opened opened without the error message so tada!! thank you Adobe forum! [ps the Word forum was 99% useless, just said to go to this forum haha]

Screenshot_%22error_53%22.pdf

M

mikehalloran

Participating Frequently

@patriciam45564283 wrote:
I think I had the same problem (new Macbook/installed Word/every time I opened a document I got the "runtime error 53" message) but I went to the Word/Tools/Templates and Addins and unchecked the only addin which was "linkCreation.dotm" -- had nothing to do with Adobe Acrobat but the next word document I opened opened without the error message so tada!! thank you Adobe forum! [ps the Word forum was 99% useless, just said to go to this forum haha]

Yep, I posted the fix there and got an unbelievabe amount of pushback from those who knew nothing.

M

mikehalloran

Participating Frequently

Hello,

M2 Mac Studio Ultra running macOS Sonoma 14.2. I've read through every thread I can find on the internet and tried every solution etc. till I found one that worked.

Actully, I found many but all involve "linkCreation.dotm" which is Microsoft, not Adobe. You can check a box to unlink the add-in in Word, Excel and Powerpoint by going to Tools/Templates and Add-ins….

You can also remove the SaveAsAdobePDF.ppam and SaveAsAdobePDF.xlam but those only work for PowerPoint and Excel.

There is a Terminal Command is supposed to fix all three. I won't bother with it since it does not work.

None of these fixes are permanent. Updates to your Microsoft or Adobe apps may reinstall the problem. At least you now know how to deal with it — until next time.

L

LuckySlam

Participating Frequently

Please vote here, if you have the same problem with PDFMaker :

https://acrobat.uservoice.com/forums/590923-acrobat-for-windows-and-mac/suggestions/45577624-adobe-acrobat-install-results-in-adobe-visual-basi

I guess we will have to deal with this bug until 6/1/2025 😛

D

D668458Author

New Participant

I found a temporary solution and that is within the Microsoft Word and Powerpoint products go into TOOLS, templates and Add-ins and Uncheck the Global Template and Add-ins if it's checked (*usually is as that is the generator of the error message). Another option is to do a Full System Search on that "named template add-in" and DELETE the item. This should solve the issue. Best of luck and I fully agree that Adobe should address this problem sooner, 2025 is really an unreal response, imho.

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DrAddison

Known Participant

I've done both of those things - linkCreation.dotm is the file at issue, but I've deleted it and emptied my Trash, it's nowhere on the system, and yet Word keeps showing it as selected every time I re-launch even though I keep disabling it under the Template and Add-ins menu.

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