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Inserting Object (PDF) into Word creates error message "the program used to create this object is acrobat the program is not installed on your computer"

Anonymous
2015-07-15T15:14:36+00:00

I have an end machine that has Win7 64, 64bit 2013 Office as well as Adobe reader DC (Updated) and Adobe Pro DC (Updated)

The user will try to insert an object (Display as icon) inside word; either a pdf, or create a pdf from scratch and the error message "the program used to create this object is acrobat the program is not installed on your computer" appears. I am able to insert a word document in the same method and it works without issue.

Some background, I was able to successfully insert a pdf using a co workers machine who has Adobe XI Pro (Trial) with Win7 64, 2013 64bit. I have called Adobe support and they were less than helpful, pointing to make some registry changes but would not specify as it was a "Microsoft issue" I have repaired, reinstalled Office, checked the security settings on Adobe. Another anomily is that it lists the adobe object types twice; as in "Adobe Acrobat Document" will be listed twice.

Can someone help?

Regards,

Mike

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-12-22T20:54:53+00:00

    Just uninstalling Reader worked for me.

    Acrobat still works fine and opens the embedded files.

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  2. John Korchok 232.8K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2015-07-15T17:31:46+00:00

    If Reader is installed after Acrobat, it will take over the file associations for PDFs. However, Reader can't support the OLE demands of inserting a PDF. 

    This is just a hunch, but trying uninstalling Reader. If the PDF file associations revert to Acrobat, then try inserting the PDF in Word again.

    If the file associations don't change back to Acrobat, repair Acrobat (should be under Help>Repair Acrobat Installation), reboot and test again.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-07-22T17:38:40+00:00

    Unfortunately this did not help, Adobe has stated that their engineers will take a look at it and get back to me in 3-4 business days.

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