How can I get .PDF files to preview in Windows Explorer & Outlook?

zebal said:

I think you need to reboot system, or at least restart explorer process or log off/log in, which ever method works.

To get clear, yes I did reboot the system. Still doesn't work.

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dalchina said:

Suggests something left over from an early installation, or perhaps an old version of Adobe? Is yours current?

I have recently uninstalled Adobe Acrobat DC and Re-installed it.

Interestingly, I have at least managed to change what the message in Outlook says. It now says that there is an error with the "PDF Preview Handler".


Preview Handler Association Editor lists nothing associated with "Adobe PDF Preview Handler for Vista". There are various entried talking about PDF.



Fiw, I can't see any other Registered Handlers that look relevent either.

1. OK I managed to get a PDF preview to work in Windows Explorer. After a very long battle, I think it was removing "Autodetect" from the LAN settings that clinched it. :)

2. But I still can't get Outlook to do a preview. :[

I tried everything I could see except for the REGEDIT stuff which is to scary for me. I don't even know how to backup my registry let alone add an entry.

One thing that looks worrying is that within Outlook, in the Trust Centre > Attachment Handling > Attachment and Document Previewers, there was no mention of PDF files:



- So are there any other suggestions for previewing PDFs from within Outlook?

sygnus21 said:

Did you read my post?
And which version of Outlook are you using - Outlook 365, 2019, 2010, what?

Sorry I am now confused - which post?

> Adobe reader -> Edit -> Preferences -> Enable PDF thumbnail preview in Windows explorer
Yes I tried that. Actually it failed, but changing the LAN settings seemed to work. in Windows Exporer.

To get clear, my problem now is just with Outlook, where I am still getting "This file cannot be previewed because there is no previewer installed for it"


> And which version of Outlook are you using - Outlook 365, 2019, 2010, what?

My Outlook is part of Office 365. My Outlook version is 32bit. I have no idea why I don't have the 64 bit version of Office 365 installed. From memory, I think I was talked out of it by Microsoft Tech Support.

As far as the EXACT version of Outlook goes... I don't know how the heck we are supposed to know what else we are supposed to call it because what I find deeply irritating is that Microsoft themselves can't make up their minds what the heck to call it.
- Is it "2012" ?
- Is it "365 MSO"?
- Is it version "16.0.13 [whatever...]" ==> does that make it "2016"?





To get clear, I am using Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (64 bit) - though I did try installing the 32bit version too, but that failed to solve any problems, so I have replaced it with the default 64bit version. My Windows10 is 64 bit.

J

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OMG! New disaster. I have just noticed that Windows Explorer has now stopped doing previews of images!

Now what?!

[What is strange is that other applications (e.g. Everything search by VoitTools) can still see the images as previews. ]

zebal said:

@ship69
Install the Microsoft Outlook add-in
Scroll down to "DOCUMENTS" section (or use CTRL + F), it shows the preview in action.
edit:
looks like I was wrong about preview, but you can try it out, maybe it will work.

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see also:
https://acrobatusers.com/resource-hu...hite-Paper.pdf
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...c-511e07a283f0

This is a nightmare!

Nope, none of that worked. Yes, I rebooted my PC and yes, I tried to go via the online Office 365 Administration website.

I tried "Adobe Sign for Outlook" but that failed too so I have removed it.

I do not own "Adobe Acrobat", nor do I wisth to pay such stupid money for something so basic. What I own is "Adobe Acrobat Reader DC", which is different. So please do not make any suggestions for "Adobe Acrobat".

This is an absolute nightmare. Why can't the simple stuff just WORK. G*d I hate Microsoft.