Runtime error 53 when using Microsoft Word and Powerpoint

[D668458]

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

[LuckySlam]

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-a...

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

[D668458]

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. 

[mikehalloran]

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.

Long story short. Acrobat Pro 2017 works about 95% over Sonoma but the Text Tool in the Editor does not. Adobe Support tells me to update to 2020 so I pay the money and did. The exact condition continues and Adobe spends three days deleting, uninstalling both 2017 & 2020, reinstalling and on and on without solving the issue. In the middle of all this, I find an Adobe memo stating that the Text Tool is a known issue and has not been fixed. Ok... waiting on Adobe.

Today, I open Word to get the "Runtime Error -53 … MacPDFM". I reinstall Office, Acrobat 2020, do a Safe Boot, call Apple to tell them their instructions are wrong (yes, really) send in screen shots and whatnot. I see the library sitting exactly in the path where all the Support docs say it should be, BTW.

Finally having run out of ideas, I reinstall Acrobat Pro 2017 back onto my Mac.

Bingo!

Why do I need both Acrobat Pro 2017 & 2020 to fix my problem with Office? I do not know, nor do I care. Anyway, Acrobat Pro is still broken over Sonoma but Word is good again and I can get back to work.