Cannot open the attached excel file (.xls, .xlsx without macro) from pdf.

Report · Mar 18, 2020

Cannot open the attached excel file (.xls, .xlsx without macro) from pdf by using Acrobat Reader DC in our customer environment.

The message, "Adobe Acrobat cannot open the file attachment because your PDF file attachment settings do not allow this file type to be opened."

I have checked the followings.

- OS :

Occurs on Win7 32bit, Win10 64bit OS.

- Acrobat Reader DC Version :

2020.006.20034

- Microsoft Office :

Microsoft Excel (Office 365) is installed.

- Acrobat Reader Settings :

[Edit] - [Preferences...] - [Trust Manager] - "Allow opening of non-PDF file attachments with external applications" > ON

When opening the attached excel file, they have never select "Never allow opening files of this type".

Therefore, reset button for "Restore the defaults list of allowed and disallowed file attachment types:" is grayed out.

- Registry :

No change from default settings, so .xls and .xlsx are not included in registry parameter as black list.

[HKLM] - [SOFTWARE] - [Policies] - [Adobe] - [Acrobat Reader] - [DC] - [FeatureLockDown] - [cDefaultLaunchAttachmentPerms] - [tBuildInPermList]

- Miscellaneous

- They can open the attachment excel file by using Adobe Acrobat Pro 2017.

- They can open the .xls and .xlsx file in the local directory.

- They can open the attached pdf file from pdf. But they can't open the attached excel file.

Has the same phenomenon ever happened?

Let me know if you have a good solutions.