TOC and Cross-reference links are not working in PDF converted using MS Word

[sid5E76]

On my system, TOC and Cross-reference links are working in MS Word. But, when the same document is converted to PDF, these links are not clickable. Suddenly, these links have stopped working in this week. The version of my Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is 21.007.20095.60881. I have tried all the solutions posted at https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/hyperlinks-from-ms-word-not-working-in-pdf/m-p/87... and even tried generating the PDF by reinstalling Acrobat Pro DC, but this issue is not resolved yet. 

I would appreciate if someone can provide some insight into this matter.

[Keith_dk]

I have the same problem - and yes it started this week too.

[defaulthnxc0epq1w2o]

Have had the same issue since last week and can't seem to get through to the support chat to troubleshoot either. This is causing major issues for my team. Here's hoping this issues gets some traction soon!

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

@defaulthnxc0epq1w2o   @sid5E76   @Keith_dk 

Can give more details about what you mean when "these links are not clickable."

I've made PDFs from my Word documents and the cross refs and TOC hyperlinks are clickable and working as expected.

Did you update to the quick-fix patch released in early October? It corrected a couple of bugs in the Sept 14th release.

Current version of Acrobat is 21.007.095 and PDF Library 21.7.123 (which you can see in the PDF's File/Properties/ PDF Producer).

[Keith_dk]

Hi Bevi,

My system currently uses:

- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC version 2021.007.20095
- PDF Producer: Adobe PDF Library 21.7.127

And when I say the TOC links are not working, I mean that the TOC created in Word, which normally provides hyperlinks to the relevant sections/pages in the PDF output, no longer provides / includes these hyperlinks. They appear as flat text.

[Tremyak]

Hi Bevi,

I too have the exact same issue as others in this thread are describing. Acrobat is up-to-date and internal hyperlinks created in Word refuse to work (external yperlinks still work). This is a major problem as several of our customers are waiting on reports which are heavy on internal hyperlinks. Please advise.

[ryano35085349]

We are having this issue today and found that reverting our Office 365 Enterprise install back to version 16.0.14326.20404 seemed to resolve the issue.  Not sure if this is a Adobe issue or a Microsoft issue at this point

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-revert-to-an-earlier-version-of-office-2bd5c457-a91...

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

@ryano35085349 , that's interesting that rolling back to Word version 16.0.14326.20404 corrected the problem.

I'm on the same version, but using an individual license, not enterprise, and didn't find the error you had in our testing (my firm does forensics on accessible PDFs).

However, when I forced an update of my Word365 to 2109 14430.20270, the version you originally cited, the error now pops up:

• Traditional internal hyperlinks within the document (such as TOCs and cross-references) no longer work;
• Traditional external hyperlinks outside the document work;
• Accessible internal hyperlinks within the document lack the <Link-OBJR> tag;
• But accessible external hyperlinks outside the document (URLs and email links) work.

This bug affects:

• Word 365 version 2109 14430.20270
• Adobe Acrobat 2021.007.0095 and
• Adobe PDF Maker 21 (Library 21.7.123)

See the bug log at https://acrobat.uservoice.com/forums/590923-acrobat-for-windows-and-mac/suggestions/44270718-errors-...

And @Keith_dk @sid5E76 @ryano35085349 @Tremyak @defaulthnxc0epq1w2o , please up-vote this bug at that webpage in order to get it fixed by Adobe. Let others in your office know about it.

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

Temporary work around:

Use Microsoft's internal PDF utility at...

File / Save As / file type = PDF  (Make sure that's not Save As Adobe PDF, which has the bug).

Follow the instructions, don't forget to choose the options for tagged accessible PDF.

[Keith_dk]

Hi Bev,

Thanks for the input, but your work around doesn't work for me. And yes, I am using the latest Office pack. I am using the version 2109 (build 14430.20298).

br Keith

[Daphne5C23]

Hi Bev

The workaround doesn't work for me either and I am using the same version as Keith - version 2109 (build 14430.20298).

Daphne

[Tremyak]

Unfortunately, that workaround doesn't work here either.

What has worked as a temporary, but cumbersome, workaround for us is to upload the file to onedrive, open it within the browser version of word and then save as -> download pdf

[Guest]

@Tremyak I made an account just to thank you personally. Time-sensitive project and I couldn't get a PDF with working hyperlinks, and this little trick worked a charm. God bless

[default2xxcwndz5k45]

@Tremyak you have just saved my butt. I have been having this issue for over a week. No one on the team could get it fixed. It's due tomorrow. I tried your idea and it worked like a charm. THANK YOU. 

[jpatrickbelen5CDB]

Thank you for this answer. It worked for me. This microsoft update is really giving us headaches.

[yureeda229277827n5r]

@Tremyak  I too made an account just so that I could thank you! We too had a firm deadline and the cross-references were just not working when Word was saved as a PDF on the computer. The OneDrive solution is genius. Thank you.

[Barb36600209zzaq]

Thank you Tremyak, this did work for me as well.

• uploaded to my google drive
• Opened the file in Drive
• Clicked File / Print
• Clicked the 'download' icon in top right
• Saved as PDF to a local drive

PDF has TOC active links

[Amal.]

Hi @Barb36600209zzaq 

We are glad to hear that. Marking a reply or response “Correct” will help future users with the same issue quickly identify the correct answer.

~Amal

[Brandy5E62]

This does not work for me either.

[defaultqybia7j52abi]

The workaround fixed it.  I used the following config.XML:
<Configuration>
<Updates Enabled="TRUE" TargetVersion="16.0.14326.20404" />
</Configuration>

My problem was that all hyperlinks stopped working.  Rolling back restored correct behaviour.

[Guest]

I've been trying to submit my PhD dissertation since yesterday but this bug has prevented me from doing so - huge nightmare. 

@Tremyak's tip first worked but I had to do it a few times because I found small layout issues, and then it stopped working for me. I've tried creating new Word docs and viewing them online, but it doesn't work either.

@defaultqybia7j52abi and others are saying we should revert to past versions of Word, but I don't know how to. How do I do this thing below:

The workaround fixed it.  I used the following config.XML:
<Configuration>
<Updates Enabled="TRUE" TargetVersion="16.0.14326.20404" />
</Configuration>

[Guest]

New updates just made the functionality start working again, from the Word application.  

[Tremyak]

Sounds as if some are getting updates that are solving the problem. Our version is still

Version 2109 Build 16.0.14430.20292 and selecting Update Now only results in the message "You're up to date!" - with the issue persisting here.

@Deleted User, @Keith_dk  - are you perhaps using a preview or early beta version channel of some sort for Office updates?

[Keith_dk]

No special updated software here.

All our MS software and updates are controlled at a Corporate level. So, I just used the "standard" MS update option yesterday. Today I noticed that the version number for Word was changed and I am now able to create PDF documents with active links in the TOC.  

Sorry I cannot be more helpful. 

[Tremyak]

Thanks for the reply @Keith_dk !

Well, during the evening, our 365 was updated to Version 2109 Build 16.0.14430.20292 and now things seem to be working again. Here's hoping it keeps working this time!