Last Updated: March 18, 2022
ISSUE
In Outlook, when you attempt to preview a PDF attachment in an email you see the following error:
This file cannot be previewed because there is no previewer installed for it.
STATUS: WORKAROUND
There are two main issues that will cause this error.
Issue 1:
Adobe Acrobat Reader is not installed in the same bitness as Outlook Desktop
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Open Outlook and select File > Office Account > About Outlook. Your version of Outlook (32-bit or 64-bit) will be displayed in bold at the top of the window.
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Open Adobe Acrobat Reader and select Help > About Adobe Acrobat Reader. Your version of Adobe Acrobat Reader (32-bit or 64-bit) will be displayed in bold at the top of the window.
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If your bit version of Adobe Acrobat Reader and Outlook are the same, go to Issue 2. If they are different, uninstall the current version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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Go to Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Install for all versions. and fill in the steps to get the right version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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In step 3, be sure to choose the same bitness as your version of Outlook. If your Outlook is 64-Bit, select the (64Bit) version.
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After the download is complete, run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
Issue 2:
Microsoft PowerToys is installed and has overridden the PDF Preview setting.
From the Windows Start Menu, search for PowerToys App and open it. Select File Explorer Add-ons and disable Enable PDF (.pdf) preview.
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