Run-Time Error 53

Susan M. Smith 76

Every time I open MS Word, I get a Run-Time Error 53 message. It says:

File not found: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/MACPDFM/MacPDFM.framework/Versions/A/MacPDFM

How do I fix this?

Emi Zhang-MSFT 25,621 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-09-19T03:01:57.34+00:00

Hi @Susan M. Smith ,
I have not heard back from you in a few days and wanted to check on the status of the problem. If you have any questions with the previous information I've provided, please don't hesitate to let me know. I am glad to be of assistance.
Susan M. Smith 76 Reputation points

2022-09-22T02:59:06.337+00:00

Hello. There is no file called "Group Containers" in my library. My laptop is a MacBook Air.

But I did find the .dotm by searching for it and I moved it to my documents folder (as a precaution) rather than trash it.

And Yes it was just with Word.

Susan
Robert Sette 1 Reputation point

2022-12-07T15:20:55.657+00:00

I have the same problem, same file path/file name, but it is when I open Excel. I deleted "linkcreation.dotm" and that resolved the problem with Word.

Any tips on how to resolve this on a Mac running current Office 365?

Thanks,
Robert
John Korchok 5,426 Reputation points

2022-12-07T16:36:17.587+00:00

Please see my answer to this thread, but use the path ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Startup/Excel instead.
Robert Sette 1 Reputation point

2022-12-07T16:40:10.93+00:00

I tried that initially, but the only file in the Excel folder is SaveAsAdopePDF.xlam.
John Korchok 5,426 Reputation points

2022-12-08T15:57:30.81+00:00

SaveAsAdopePDF.xlam is the file to delete. If you're feeling uncertain, drag it to your desktop first to test whether it fixes the Excel error message.
Rebecca Robinson 0 Reputation points

2023-02-24T16:30:23.4866667+00:00

That didn't resolve my error
Tony Cortes 0 Reputation points

2023-03-09T11:00:48.67+00:00

@John Korchok Thank you for your helpful tip on this problem. It worked for Word and Excel but the error persists in PowerPoint. The startup folder is empty for Word, Excel & PowerPoint. Any ideas on why the PowerPoint error is not fixed?
Shelly Kindler 0 Reputation points

2023-03-13T12:57:13.5333333+00:00

I am having the same issue on my mac. Please help! Thank you.
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Mollee Rucker 0 Reputation points

2024-04-02T20:12:30.51+00:00

I finally found the "Go" menu, but I have no "Library."
Karen Dodo 0 Reputation points

2024-04-08T13:41:56.42+00:00

Thank you, that helped for me!
Mortal Wombat™ 1 Reputation point

2024-07-09T10:13:40.3166667+00:00

After all these years and after one million updates this is still an issue... I wonder why MS cannot handle this.

Yes, I know they blame it to everything else... same old story: Stuff at MS sucks but its the fault of all the other companies whose Apps run flawlessly unless MS comes in...

9 answers

John Korchok 5,426 Reputation points

2022-09-19T14:58:42.297+00:00
Sorry that you've been getting Windows advice for your Mac problem. Please try these steps to get rid of the error message:

Close Word

While holding down the Option key, click on the Go menu in the macOS menu bar and choose Library. Your hidden user Library folder opens.

Open ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Startup/Word.

Drag linkcreation.dotm to the trash.

Restart your computer. Open Word and check that the message does not appear.
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25 people found this answer helpful.
Kim Leighton 11 Reputation points

2022-11-14T08:10:35.313+00:00

Thank you John for preventing me from losing my mind. I was getting close.

Now off to find the solution for PPT as I don't see a linkcreation.dotm file in that folder. There is a .ppam file though. Does it take care of the same problem?

Appreciate the help with the Mac.
Kim

Anonymous

2022-11-18T19:50:16.57+00:00

I tried several other suggested solutions and this was the only thing that worked. Thank you so much!

John Ellsworth 6 Reputation points

2022-12-06T13:56:33.35+00:00

It worked. Thank you for this useful and effective tip! I had the same problem for Word and Excel. I removed "SaveAsAdobePDF.xlam" from the corresponding Excel folder as well.

Mimi 1 Reputation point

2022-12-06T19:03:54.66+00:00

This was year ago, still works today. thank you!

Leonard Balk 1 Reputation point

2022-12-19T04:52:54.64+00:00

Thank You

Susan M. Smith 76 Reputation points

2022-12-19T16:38:30.45+00:00

I cannot find a folder called Group Containers undertone Library folder. Help?

John Korchok 5,426 Reputation points

2022-12-19T16:44:16.083+00:00

Most likely, you can't find Group Containers because you're looking in the wrong Library folder (macOS had more than one). Hold down the Option key while clicking on Go in the macOS menu bar. Choose **Library*. Your hidden user Library folder opens. Group Containers is in there.

Susan M. Smith 76 Reputation points

2022-12-19T17:11:38.01+00:00

Okay but now I am holding down the Option key but where should I be... in system settings?

John Korchok 5,426 Reputation points

2022-12-19T17:48:24.13+00:00

In the Finder, hold down the Option key and click on Go>Library.

Susan M. Smith 76 Reputation points

2022-12-20T15:06:31.843+00:00

Yes! I finally found it. Thank you for being patient with me. Happy Holidays!

Henry Morris 1 Reputation point

2023-01-08T11:54:59.843+00:00

Thank you John for your solution to this problem, something that I wouldn't have found in a million years of digging through files. Much appreciated!

Derek Wilson 0 Reputation points

2023-01-12T18:47:23.16+00:00

Getting this error with Excel as well.

Is there a similar file I need to look for to delete?

Tarek Tawfik 0 Reputation points

2023-03-08T21:00:03.7133333+00:00

Perfect, it solve my same problem, Thank you

alyssa 0 Reputation points

2023-04-22T06:55:49.52+00:00

omg, thank you so much!! it really works!!!

Linda Crawford 0 Reputation points

2023-05-04T16:02:23.4633333+00:00

Thank you so much! This worked and got rid of that annoying box for good!

Matt Kadioglu 0 Reputation points

2023-09-15T10:36:08.41+00:00

This solution has worked for me, thank you!

Josephine Boyce 0 Reputation points

2023-09-18T11:43:44.8566667+00:00

This works!

Ross, Tierra 0 Reputation points

2023-09-19T14:56:34.8666667+00:00

thank you it worked for my mac air

Steven Leigh 0 Reputation points

2023-09-20T12:34:11.2466667+00:00

Perfect, thank you!

Mengxia Yu 0 Reputation points

2023-10-09T15:14:00.9266667+00:00

This really works! Thank you!

Mechelle Sweet-Preston 0 Reputation points

2023-10-17T20:34:09.7866667+00:00

It worked perfectly, thank you.

Mollee Rucker 0 Reputation points

2024-04-02T20:11:35.9033333+00:00

I do not have "Library" when i follow these steps

Patrick Wouters 0 Reputation points

2024-04-06T14:12:04.0866667+00:00

thank you ! worked for ppt, word and excell

Brooklyn Cadwallader 0 Reputation points

2024-07-08T14:24:01.06+00:00

Worked for me too after dealing with the issue for over a year - you've restored my sanity! Haha thank you sooo much!

Kobrlová Jana 5 Reputation points

2024-08-12T13:33:43.0866667+00:00

Hello, I have the same problem with Excel, but the ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Startup/Excel folder is empty :(. Any suggestions please?

John Korchok 5,426 Reputation points

2024-08-12T14:42:33.85+00:00

Type 53 errors can be raised by other add-ins, not just Acrobat. Please post the exact wording of the error message, or post a screen shot using the Image tool:

Kobrlová Jana 5 Reputation points

2024-08-12T14:47:51.2866667+00:00

It is related to visual basic-looks like this:

John Korchok 5,426 Reputation points

2024-08-12T15:41:52.1+00:00

Most likely, you are running a macro or have installed a VBA add-in that was written in Windows. It's trying to access a .dll file that exists in Windows, but not in macOS. There's no easy fix.

Sometimes Microsoft has written equivalent routines for the Mac, but they are stored in different files, so the macro would have to be rewritten to work under your OS.

Mike C 5 Reputation points

2024-10-11T05:25:08.2233333+00:00

Following your instruction, I removed the "linkcreation.dotm" file, rebooted my system and the "Run-time error '53'" still pops up.

John Korchok 5,426 Reputation points

2024-10-11T15:10:06.1433333+00:00

Adobe has changed the files that are installed with Acrobat, so the previous answers no longer apply. This issue displays in Office but is caused by Adobe Acrobat. To find an answer, please post your question at the Adobe Acrobat Community page:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat/ct-p/ct-acrobat?page=1&sort=latest_replies&lang=all&tabid=all

Davis, Bob 5 Reputation points

2024-10-14T14:24:47.14+00:00

The file structure that you describe =does not contain the .dotm and the error are still occurring? Any new thoughts ?

Addison, Sheila 0 Reputation points

2024-10-15T01:38:31.19+00:00

I have removed the file from this location but still get the error every time I launch Word. I have done a search of my hard drive and find no file with that name.

John Korchok says this is an Adobe issue. Adobe says this is a Microsoft issue. https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/mac-powerpoint-run-time-error-53/m-p/14675885

Addison, Sheila 0 Reputation points

2024-10-15T02:11:12.85+00:00

I've deleted the file in my Group Container for Word, but continue to get an error 53. Every time I launch Word, the Tools->Templates and Add-Ins dialogue shows that linkCreation.dotm is chosen, but no matter how many times I uncheck it and choose "OK," it reappears as selected when I re-start Word. There is no linkCreation.dotm file anywhere on my hard drive, I've searched.

Mike C 5 Reputation points

2024-10-15T16:13:22.29+00:00

Thanks to John for providing the link to the Adobe support website! I found an answer on the Adobe website, tried it and it worked for me. Here is the link to the answer page: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/run-time-error-53-and-acrobat-freezing-up-not-responding-quot/m-p/10567310
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John Korchok 5,426 Reputation points

2022-11-15T17:46:00.677+00:00

Yes, removing the .ppam should get rid of the error message.
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4 people found this answer helpful.
Candace R 1 Reputation point

2023-01-07T15:48:42.173+00:00

I’m having same error on power point. But when I follow your instructions above there is no file under ppt in the library to drag to trash. Other suggestions? TIA!!
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Teplitz, Pamela 5 Reputation points

2023-01-22T01:26:38.4433333+00:00

Removing SaveAsAdobePDF.ppam in the User Content/Startup/PowerPoint folder works for PPT too. Thank you!
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1 person found this answer helpful.

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Jonri 5 Reputation points

2024-09-27T09:44:31.9466667+00:00

I had the same issues for many years on my MAC. The solution that frequently worked was to uncheck the linkCreation in word and delete the file:

~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Startup/Word/linkCreation.dotm

However, this morning this solution did not work anymore. I finally discover that the location of the file was changed and appeard in the following path:

/Library/Application\ Support/Microsoft/Office365/User\ Content.localized/Startup/Word/

Probably due to the fact that I used Office365 one some days ago.

Deleting the linkCreation.dotm in the Word folder and the SaveAsAdobePDF.ppam located in the Powerpoint folder solved the issues with Runtime 53 Error
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1 person found this answer helpful.
Addison, Sheila 0 Reputation points

2024-09-28T01:32:03.0233333+00:00

Interesting. Sadly I don't find a Microsoft folder in /Library/Application/Support or SaveAsAdobePDF.ppam anywhere on my drive so I'll have to keep searching.

Carsten Burfeind | Beratung 0 Reputation points

2024-10-08T14:59:36.2066667+00:00

👍 That's what I was going to write using Office 365 on Mac. Since the GroupContainer-solution did not work for me (anymore), I today found that "> Library > Application Support > Microsoft > Office365 > User Content > Startup > Word" OR "> PowerPoint" is the place to look for the linkcreation or SaveAsAdobe files.

@Addisson: its "Application Support" not "Application/Support".
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Emi Zhang-MSFT 25,621 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-09-15T03:14:38.573+00:00

Hi @Susan M. Smith ,
Did this problem only appear in Word? How about other Office products?
Did this problem appear in all Word documents?
Where did you save the documents?
You can try to create a new Word document in desktop and check the result.
I suggest you try to re-set the Word default template, go to C:\Users\user name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates. Rename the Normal.dotm to Normal.dotm.old, then re-open Word.
If the issue still existed try to open it in safe mode running the following command: Press Win + R, type "winword/safe" in the blank box, press Enter. If it works fine in safe mode, please check the add-ins in your Word and disable them.
Just checking in to see if the information was helpful. Please let us know if you would like further assistance.

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Run-Time Error 53

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