This file cannot be previewed because of an error in the pdf preview handler

Ever since I upgraded to Outlook 2016 my attachment PDF Previewer has stopped working with the message

This file cannot be previewed because of an error with the following previewer:

PDF Preview Handler

To open this file in its own program, double-click it.

I tried these fixes without any luck:

The PDF Preview Handler error typically appears when Windows users are trying to preview a file in Outlook. The error description states that the file cannot be previewed because of an error to the previewer. Typically, this problem starts occurring after the user upgrades to a newer Outlook version when the user is using Acrobat Reader as the default PDF reader.

What’s causing the PDF Preview Handler error?

Internet Auto Detect is Enabled – As it turns out, one potential cause with the potential of causing the PDF Preview Handler error is a setting called Internet Auto Detect. Some users facing this issue have managed to get it fixed by accessing the LAN Settings and disabling the Automatically detect settings option.
Adobe Reader’s EULA wasn’t accepted – Another scenario in which this error will occur is a new Adobe Reader installation that was never opened before. As it turns out, Adobe EULA’s needs to be accepted before the application is able to preview files externally. So if this scenario is applicable, you can fix the issue by opening Adobe Reader and accepting Accepting the EULA.
Adobe Reader runs on Windows Server – This error is very common in instances where the user tries to use the preview capabilities of Adobe Reader on a Windows Server version [most commonly Windows Server 2016]. In this case, you can fix the issue by forcing Adobe Reader to run in Compatibility mode with Windows 8.
Adobe Reader is not set as the Default PDF Handler – If your default PDF viewer is not configured to be the default PDF handler and the PDF thumbnail preview feature is not enabled, expect to see this error in when attempting to preview PDF files in Outlook. To fix the issue, you’ll need to access the Adobe Reader’s preferences and force it to become your global PDF handler.
Registry issue – This was mitigated in the recent Adobe Reader version, but if you’re using older versions, you might need to do some registry fixing [either manually or by relying on a 3rd party fix that replaces the bad registry value automatically].

Disable Internet Auto-Detect

As it turns out, one of the most common culprits that might end up causing the PDF Preview Handler error is an Adobe Reader setting called Internet Auto Detect. Several users that were totally unable to use the default previewer in Outlook have reported that the issue was finally resolved after they accessed the LAN settings of Adobe Reader and disabled the Automatically detect settings option.

This potential fix is typically reported to work for users that are encountering this issue on Windows 10. Here’s what you need to do:

Open up your Adobe Acrobat Reader application. Once the utility is fully opened, go to Edit [from the ribbon bar at the top] and click on Preferences at the bottom of the newly appeared context menu.
Once you’re inside the preferences screen, use the Categories menu on the left-hand side to select Internet.
With the Internet tab selected, move to the right section and click on Internet Settings [under Internet Options].
After you manage to get inside the Internet Properties screen, select the Connections tab, then click on the LAN settings button [under Local Area Network settings].
Inside the Local Area Network [LAN] settings menu, uncheck the box associated with Automatically detect settings, then click Ok to save the changes.
Now that you’re back into the Internet Properties menu, click on Apply to save the changes.
Close Adobe Reader and restart your computer. Then, at the next computer startup, see if the issue is now resolved.

If you’re still encountering the PDF Preview Handler errorwhen trying to open an attachment in Microsoft Outlook, move down to the next method below.

[Video] [FIXED] How to show PDF file on PREVIEW PANE #PreviewPane

Accept Adobe Reader’s EULA

Another possible cause that will cause the PDF Preview Handler to stay disabled in Outlook is an instance where Adobe Reader is installed but the program was not started so the EULA never got accepted. As it turns out, you need to agree to Adobe Reader’s EULA first before you can use the preview feature externally.

If this scenario is applicable, you can resolve the issue easily by opening Adobe Reader for the first time and accepting the Adobe Software License Agreement by clicking the Accept button.

After you do this, you can safely close the application and restart your computer. At the next startup, you should be able to use the previewer feature in Outlook without encountering the same PDF Preview Handler error.

If the same problem is still appearing, move down to the next potential fix below.

Run Adobe Reader in Compatibility Mode

As it turns out, several programs from Office 2016 [including Outlook] will not run properly when they are forced to run normally on an OS like Windows Server 2016. Several different affected users finding themselves in this scenario have reported that they encountered the PDF Preview Handler errorafter every attempt to preview a file directly in Outlook.

[Video] Outlook Fix This file cannot be previewed

Note: If you’re struggling, here’s a quick guide on running older programs on Windows 10 using Compatibility mode.

If this scenario is applicable, you should be able to fix the issue by forcing Adobe Reader to run in Compatibility Mode with Windows 8. Here’s a quick guide on how to do this:

Open File Explorer and navigate to the location of your Adobe Reader installation. If you didn’t install the PDF reader in a custom location, you will be able to find it in:C:\Program Files [x86]\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC
Once you get to the correct location, double click on the Reader folder.
Next, scroll down through the list of files and locate AcroRd32.exe. When you see it, right-click on it and choose Properties from the context menu.
Once you’re inside the Properties of AcroRd32.exe, select the Compatibility tab.
Next, under Compatibility more, check the box associated with Run this program in compatibility mode for,then select Windows 8 from the drop-down menu directly below.
Click Apply to save the changes, then restart your computer and repeat the action that was previously triggering the PDF Preview Handler error.

If the same problem is still happening, move down to the next method below.

Make Adobe Reader the Default PDF Handler

As it turns out, one particular scenario that might trigger this problem is an instance where Adobe Reader is installed but it’s not configured to be the default PDF Handler and the PDF thumbnail previews aren’t permitted from within the application’s settings menu.

In this case, you can fix the issue by accessing the Preferences menu and adjusting the settings so that Adobe Reader is configured to be the default choice.

[Video] [FIXED] How to fix Preview Pane windows 10 | Excel 2016 #PreviewPane

Here are the step-by-step instructions to making Adobe Reader the default PDF Handler:

Open Acrobat Reader and go to Edit > Preferences from the ribbon bar at the top.
Inside the Preferences menu, go to General from the left section, then move over to the right-hand side and start by enabling the checkbox associated with Enable PDF thumbnail previews in Windows Explorer.
Next, scroll down to the Application Startup section and click on Select As Default PDF Handler.
Follow the on-screen instructions to make Adobe Reader the global PDF handler.
Once the operation is complete, restart your computer and see if the issue is resolved at the next system startup.

If you’re still encountering the same DF Preview Handler error,move down to the final potential fix below.

Fix the Registry Problem [Old Adobe Reader versions ONLY]

If you’re encountering this issue with an outdated version of Adobe Reader, it’s most likely because of an old Registry problem the Adobe has since patched with more recent versions. This problem will manifest itself when trying to open previews in Microsoft Outlook and Windows Explorer on 64-bit versions of Windows.

In case you want to fix the issue without upgrading to a newer version of Adobe reader, you have two ways forward – you either go the manual route and changing one particular APPID manually, or you can use a 3rd party Fix to enforce the change automatically.

Using the PDF Preview Fixer

Visit this link [here]and wait until the fix archive is downloaded. Once the download is complete, extract the archive and access the Fix for x64 Adobe Reader Preview Handler folder.
Once you arrive in the correct folder, right-click on the executable and click Open As Administrator from the newly appeared context menu.
Inside the next window, start by checking the box associated with Extra changes required for the old Office 2010 bet.
Next, click on Apply Fix and wait for the operation to complete.
Restart your computer and see if the issue is resolved at the next computer startup.

Fixing the Registry Problem Manually

Press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Next, type ‘regedit’ and press Enter to open up the Registry Editor. When prompted by the UAC [User Account Control], click Yes to grant administrative privileges.
Note: If you get an error while trying to open Registry Editor, here’s how to fix regedit.exe.
[Video] This File Cannot Be Previewed Because There Is No Previewer Installed for It - Outlook FIX
Once you’re inside the Registry Editor, use the left-hand section to navigate to the following location:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}
Note: You can get there instantly by pasting the location directly into the navigation bar and pressing Enter.
After you arrive at the correct location, double-click on the AppID text value and change the Value data to {534A1E02-D58F-44f0-B58B-36CBED287C7C}.
Click Ok to save the changes, then restart your computer and see if the issue has been resolved at the next computer startup.

Open Acrobat Reader and go to Edit > Preferences from the ribbon bar at the top. Inside the Preferences menu, go to General from the left section, then move over to the right-hand side and start by enabling the checkbox associated with Enable PDF thumbnail previews in Windows Explorer.

Why does PDF preview handler not work in Outlook? ›

In Outlook, navigate through “File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center settings > Attachment Handling” and: Make sure that “Turn off Attachment Preview” box is unchecked. Click “Attachment and Document Previewers” button and check if “PDF Preview Handler” is enabled/ticked in the list in the opened window.

How do I enable PDF previewer? ›

Open Acrobat or Acrobat Reader. On the Edit menu, choose Preferences. In the Preferences dialog box, choose General in the Categories list, and then select the Enable PDF thumbnail previews in Windows Explorer check box.

How do I enable PDF viewer in Outlook? ›

In order to preview PDF files, use the following steps.

Close Outlook.
Download and install Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Make Adobe Acrobat Reader the default program used to open PDF files. Select your operating system below for detailed instructions. ...
Restart Outlook. You should now be able to preview PDF files in Outlook.

How do I install Adobe PDF preview handler? ›

How do I fix this file Cannot be previewed? ›

In Outlook, go to “File” > “Options” > “Trust Center” > “Trust Center Settings…” > “Attachment Handling“. Ensure that “Turn off Attachment Preview” is NOT checked. Select the “Attachment and Document Previewers…” button. Make sure that the previewer you wish to use is checked, then select “OK” three times.

How do I change my default PDF viewer? ›

Make the most out of your PDFs.

Right-click on the thumbnail of any PDF file.
On the menu, click Properties.
A new dialog box will appear. ...
Select Adobe Acrobat DC or Reader from the list as your default.
Click OK to save and apply changes.

How do I change my default PDF viewer in Office 365? ›

In the Control Panel, click on "Programs," then search for the section that reads "Default programs," and click on it. This will launch a page that reads "Default apps" at the top. 4. In "Default apps," click on "Choose default apps by file type."

How do I set Adobe as my default PDF reader? ›

Right-click the PDF, choose Open With > Choose default program or another app in. 2. Choose Adobe Acrobat Reader DC or Adobe Acrobat DC in the list of programs, and then do one of the following: [Windows 10] Select Always use this app to open .

Why PDF is not opening in Chrome? ›

For Google Chrome Version 60 and above

First, check if 'Download PDF files instead of automatically opening them in Chrome' is turned on in Chrome. When this is enabled, all PDF will be downloaded instead of view.

How do I preview a PDF in Chrome? ›

How to Open PDF in Chrome

Right-click on a PDF.
Choose Open with > Google Chrome.
If you don't see Chrome, click 'Other…' and search for the program.
Click 'Open' and that's pretty much it.

How do I change my default PDF viewer in Chrome? ›

Type or paste chrome://settings/content into address bar. A pop-up labeled "Content Settings..." will open. Scroll down to the bottom to "PDF Documents" Select or deselect the check box labelled "Open PDF files in the default PDF viewer application"

How do I change the PDF preview handler in Outlook? ›

In Outlook, navigate through “File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center settings > Attachment Handling” and:

Make sure that “Turn off Attachment Preview” box is unchecked.
Click “Attachment and Document Previewers” button and check if “PDF Preview Handler” is enabled/ticked in the list in the opened window.

Why my PDF files are not opening? ›

Here are some of the most common culprits to consider: Your laptop doesn't have a PDF reader installed. Your PDF reader or preferred program is out of date and needs an update. Your PDF application is potentially damaged or needs to be rebooted.

Why is my PDF not opening in Outlook? ›

The simplest solution would be to download and use a reliable third-party PDF viewer. Among other solutions, you can try restarting Outlook or scanning the PDF file for malware. In case Outlook won't open PDF attachments, you can always try disabling your antivirus software and check if that helps.

How do I Preview a PDF without opening it? ›

Open File Explorer in Windows 10, click the View tab, and select Preview pane. Click a file you wish to view, such as a Word document, Excel sheet, PowerPoint presentation, PDF, or image. The file appears in the preview pane.

How do I fix the Preview pane in Windows 10 PDF? ›

Preview Pane Not Working in Windows 10? 8 Ways to Fix It

Ensure the Preview Pane Isn't Disabled. ...
Rule Out the File Specific Issues. ...
Tweak Folder Options Settings. ...
Check Hard Disk Response Issues. ...
Update Graphics Driver. ...
Tweak Advanced System Properties. ...
Run a Malware Scan. ...
Run an SFC Scan.

How do I view PDF thumbnails? ›

Select Adobe Acrobat Reader from the list of apps.
Return to Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Go to Edit>Preferences.
Go to the General tab.
Enable the “Enable PDF thumbnail previews in Windows Explorer” option.
Scroll down and click OK.

Why is no preview available? ›

When a user receives an email containing an Untrusted image attachment and selects "Preview File", a window appears stating "No Preview Available". This is expected behavior, to ensure that execution of image files by Microsoft Outlook cannot compromise the device.

How do you fix this File can't be previewed because of an error in the Microsoft Excel previewer? ›

You need to follow these suggestions – Delete the files in Content. Outlook folder, Check whether or not the Protected Mode in Excel is turned on, Check and correct the Windows Registry Key, Start Windows Defender Firewall Service, Change Outlook Settings, Repair Microsoft Office, Delete the files in Content.

How do I fix the preview error in Word? ›

Right-click your Microsoft Office suite or Office 365 and click Change, and then choose Online Repair. Click Repair and follow the on-screen instruction to continue. Restart your device and check if the issue will be resolved.

Why have all my PDF files changed to Chrome? ›

Sometimes even when setting Adobe Acrobat DC as the Default, downloaded PDFs will open in Chrome instead. This is because Chrome is set to use it's integrated PDF viewer when files are downloaded by default. You will need to turn this off to make it go away. To turn this feature off, follow the steps below.

What is the default PDF viewer in Windows 10? ›

Microsoft Edge is the default program for opening PDF files on Windows 10. In four easy steps, you can set Acrobat DC or Acrobat Reader DC your default PDF program.

How do I change my PDF file attachment settings? ›

To set attachment preferences: Choose Preferences > Trust Manager. Configure Allow opening of non-PDF file attachments with external applications: Checked: Default.

How do I change the default program to open PDF files in Android? ›

Go to Settings. Go to Apps. Select the other PDF app, that always open up automatically. Scroll down to "Launch By Default" or "Open by default".

How do I set Adobe as my default PDF reader in Windows 11? ›

Make Adobe Acrobat Default PDF Reader from Windows Settings

On the Settings window, click on 'Apps' from the left panel and then select 'Default apps' from the right panel. Now, scroll down and then click on 'Choose defaults by file type' under the Related settings section. After that, type '.

Why PDF is not opening in Chrome Android? ›

Chrome for Android doesn't support plug-ins, so it doesn't have Chrome PDF Viewer, and because of this, it can't natively read PDF files [you'll need a separate app for PDFs]. This is why the Android version doesn't have this ability, but the desktop version does. Hope this clears up any confusion for anyone.

How do I fix the preview pane in Windows 10 PDF? ›

Preview Pane Not Working in Windows 10? 8 Ways to Fix It

Ensure the Preview Pane Isn't Disabled. ...
Rule Out the File Specific Issues. ...
Tweak Folder Options Settings. ...
Check Hard Disk Response Issues. ...
Update Graphics Driver. ...
Tweak Advanced System Properties. ...
Run a Malware Scan. ...
Run an SFC Scan.

How do I get my preview pane to work? ›

Since I first got this MS Surface computer a few months ago.

Open a new File Explorer window and click the View tab from the ribbon toolbar.
Click Options, and then click Change folder and search options to open Folder Options dialog.
Check the Show preview handlers in preview pane box, and click/tap on OK.

The PDF preview handler error most of the time is shown when previewing a file in outlook. On the following article we will try to understand and fix it...

Pdf preview handler outlook 2010. Solution 3: Set Adobe Reader As The Default PDF Handler As we mentioned in the causes if adobe isn’t set as the default for PDF handler and PDF thumbnail preview don’t have permission within the app, the error shows up.. Set Adobe Reader As The Default PDF Handler. Solution 7: Enable PDF preview handler Sometimes the PDF preview handler can be disabled and you need to check to see if enabled or not.. This is another effective fix to the PDF Handler error, you need to change your adobe reader preferences, and here how you can do that;. Open Adobe reader.

The PDF Preview Handler error typically appears when Windows users are trying to preview a file in Outlook.. Typically, this problem starts occurring after the user upgrades to a newer Outlook version when the user is using Acrobat Reader as the default PDF reader.. Adobe Reader is not set as the Default PDF Handler – If your default PDF viewer is not configured to be the default PDF handler and the PDF thumbnail preview feature is not enabled, expect to see this error in when attempting to preview PDF files in Outlook.. Several users that were totally unable to use the default previewer in Outlook have reported that the issue was finally resolved after they accessed the LAN settings of Adobe Reader and disabled the Automatically detect settings option .. Another possible cause that will cause the PDF Preview Handler to stay disabled in Outlook is an instance where Adobe Reader is installed but the program was not started so the EULA never got accepted.. At the next startup, you should be able to use the previewer feature in Outlook without encountering the same PDF Preview Handler error.. If the same problem is still appearing, move down to the next potential fix below.. If this scenario is applicable, you should be able to fix the issue by forcing Adobe Reader to run in Compatibility Mode with Windows 8.. Next, under Compatibilitymore, check the box associated withRun this program in compatibility mode for,then selectWindows 8from the drop-down menu directly below.Forcing Adobe Reader to run in compatibility mode Click Apply to save the changes, then restart your computer and repeat the action that was previously triggering the PDF Preview Handler error.. As it turns out, one particular scenario that might trigger this problem is an instance where Adobe Reader is installed but it’s not configured to be the default PDF Handler and the PDF thumbnail previews aren’t permitted from within the application’s settings menu.. Next, scroll down to the Application Startup section and click on Select As Default PDF Handler.. This problem will manifest itself when trying to open previews in Microsoft Outlook and Windows Explorer on 64-bit versions of Windows.. Once the download is complete, extract the archive and access theFix for x64 Adobe Reader Preview Handlerfolder.Adobe Reader Preview Once you arrive in the correct folder, right-click on the executable and click Open As Administratorfrom the newly appeared context menu.. Next, click on Apply Fixand wait for the operation to complete.Applying the fix for Adobe Reader Preview Handler Error Automatically Restart your computer and see if the issue is resolved at the next computer startup.

Encounter an Outlook PDF preview handler error? No worries!! Go through this post and learn five ways to fix PDF preview handler error in Outlook.

Well, the Outlook PDF preview handler error indicates that you can't preview a PDF file in the Outlook reading pane.. It occurs when using the Preview feature in Outlook to preview a PDF file, it fails and you get the error messaging that says, "this file can't be previewed because of an error to the previewer.. Corruptions and alike issues with the temporary or cache files could be the reason behind the Outlook PDF preview handler error .. It could be the case that the PDF Preview handler is turned off in your Outlook and that's why you're facing the PDF Preview handler error .. Step 4: Tap the "Attachment and Document Previewers" button and then check if the option that says "PDF Preview Handler" is ticked or enabled.. If nothing above helps with fixing the PDF preview handler error in Outlook , then we recommend you use a Stellar Repair for PDF .. Get Stellar Repair for PDF on your computer and follow the below steps to learn how to use it for resolving the Outlook PDF preview handler error :. If you want to disable a specific attachment previewer, then you can select Attachment and Document Previewers and clear out the checkbox for a previewer you like to turn off.. As you can now see that fixing PDF preview handler error in Outlook is no more hassle thanks to the solution like Stellar Repair for PDF.

The PDF preview driver error normally appears when Windows users try to preview a file in

PDF preview handler error in Outlook Automatic internet detection is enabled – It turns out that one potential cause with the potential to cause the PDF preview driver error is a setting called Automatic Internet Detection.. Adobe Reader EULA not accepted – Another scenario where this error will occur is a fresh installation of Adobe Reader that has never been opened before.. Adobe Reader runs on Windows Server – This error is very common in cases where the user tries to use the preview capabilities of Adobe Reader on a version of Windows Server [most commonly Windows Server 2016].. Adobe Reader is not set as the default PDF driver – If your default PDF viewer is not set to be the default PDF driver and the PDF thumbnail preview feature is not enabled, expect to see this error when you try to preview PDF files in Outlook.. It turns out that one of the most common culprits that could end up causing the PDF preview handler error is an Adobe Reader setting called Automatic internet detection .. Several users who were unable to use the default preview in Outlook reported that the issue was finally resolved after accessing Adobe Reader's LAN settings and disabling the Automatically detect setting option .. Force Adobe Reader to run in compatibility mode Click Apply to save the changes, then restart your computer and repeat the action that was previously triggering the PDF preview handler error.. It turns out that one particular scenario that could trigger this issue is an instance where Adobe Reader is installed but not set to be the default PDF handler and PDF thumbnail previews are not allowed from the application settings menu.. In this case, you can fix the problem by accessing the Preferences menu and adjusting the settings so that Adobe Reader is set as the default option.. Make Adobe Reader the default PDF driver. If you still find yourself with the same DF preview handler error, scroll down to the final potential correction below.. Adobe Reader Preview Once you get to the correct folder, right click on the executable and click Open as administrator from the newly appeared context menu.. Apply the fix for the Adobe Reader preview driver error automatically Reboot your computer and see if the problem is resolved on the next computer startup.

Make sure that the disable attachment preview checkbox is unchecked click attachment and document previewers and make sure that pdf

Click "Attachment and Document Previewers" and make sure that "PDF Preview Handler" is checked/unchecked in the open window list... Note that if your PDF preview handler is a 64-bit module, Office/Outlook 32-bit will not list the PDF preview handler in the "File Previewing Options" dialog.. ... COREWEBVIEW2_DOWNLOAD_INTERRUPT_REASON_FILE_TRANSIENT_ERROR: File was in ..... Specifies the mime type to be used when uploading data from the file referenced by cloud-print-file.. Jul 14, 2022 . a PDF file with the Adobe Reader plugin installed, getting the document: fails, since there is no "document" in the browser.. HTML and PDF reference documentation along with a new project website: //lettuce.io.

Table of Contents

Click “Attachment and Document Previewers” button and check if “PDF Preview Handler” is enabled/ticked in the list in the opened window.. 2] If that does not work, then in Adobe, go to Edit > Preferences > Internet and look under the Web Browser Options you will need to make sure you have it set to “allow web viewing.”. Open File Explorer.. To preview a PDF file in Windows Explorer:. In the Windows Explorer dialog, click Show the preview pane [H].. Click on a PDF file for the Preview pane to show the contents of the document.. How do I preview a PDF in Preview Pane?. You should now be able to preview PDF files in Outlook.. For example, when I try to preview a PDF in Outlook, I get the message “This file cannot be previewed because of an error with the following previewer: PDF Preview Handler for Vista”.. How to fix Adobe Reader Preview Handler x64 not opening PDF files?

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