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Open Embedded PDFs in Microsoft Office with Foxit

Explains how to resolve the issue of being unable to open PDFs embedded in Microsoft Office files with Foxit PDF Editor or Reader.

Answer

Symptom

When double-clicking an embedded PDF object in a Microsoft Office document (Excel, Word, or PowerPoint), one of the following errors appears:

Cannot start the source application for this object.

This occurs even though Adobe Acrobat/Reader is not installed and Foxit PDF Editor or Reader is set as the default PDF application.

Cause

This issue typically occurs in one of two scenarios:

Scenario Cause
Adobe was previously installed Adobe Acrobat/Reader was uninstalled but left behind registry entries that Windows still references when opening embedded PDF objects.
File association needs refresh The Foxit preference setting for embedded Office PDFs needs to be toggled to properly register the file association.
Solution

Try the solutions below in order. Solution 1 resolves most cases; proceed to Solution 2 if the issue persists.

Solution 1: Re-register Foxit File Associations (Recommended)

This solution refreshes the file association by toggling the embedded PDF preference setting.

  1. Open Foxit PDF Editor or Foxit PDF Reader.
  2. Navigate to File > Preferences > File Associations.
  3. Click the Advanced button.
  4. Uncheck the option: "Use Foxit PhantomPDF to open embedded Acrobat files and embedded Foxit Reader PDF files in Microsoft Office"
  5. Click OK.
  6. Click Make default PDF viewers.
  7. Click Yes if a UAC prompt appears.
  8. Click the Advanced button again.
  9. Check the same option: "Use Foxit PhantomPDF to open embedded Acrobat files and embedded Foxit Reader PDF files in Microsoft Office"
  10. Click OK.
  11. Click Make default PDF viewers and then OK to apply the change.

Close and reopen the Office application, then test opening the embedded PDF.

Solution 2: Verify and Repair Registry Entries

If Solution 1 does not resolve the issue, the Windows registry may contain incorrect entries from a previous Adobe installation.

⚠️ Warning: Editing the Windows registry incorrectly can cause serious system problems. Create a registry backup before making changes.

Prerequisites:

  1. Ensure Adobe Acrobat/Reader is completely uninstalled. Foxit can only open embedded Office PDFs when Adobe is not present on the system.
  2. Run Foxit PDF Editor or Reader at least once after Adobe removal.

Registry Verification Steps:

  1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
  2. Navigate to the following registry path:
Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{8801CA65-A1FC-11D0-85AD-444553540000}\LocalServer32
  1. Verify the (Default) value matches your Foxit installation:

For Foxit PDF Editor:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Foxit Software\Foxit PDF Editor\FoxitPDFEditor.exe" /Adobe.PDF-Embed

 

For Foxit PDF Reader:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\FoxitPDFReader.exe" /Adobe.PDF-Embed
  1. If the value is incorrect or points to an Adobe path, double-click the (Default) entry and update it to the correct Foxit path shown above.
  2. Click OK and close Registry Editor.
  3. Restart the Office application and test the embedded PDF.
Note: If Foxit is installed in a different location, adjust the path accordingly. The /Adobe.PDF-Embed switch at the end is required.Additional Notes

The embedded PDF feature in Microsoft Office relies on COM/OLE registration. When Adobe products are installed, they register themselves as the handler for embedded PDF objects. If Adobe is later removed without properly cleaning up these registrations, Windows cannot locate the application to open the embedded content.

Running the "Make default PDF viewers" function in Foxit Preferences typically corrects these registrations automatically.

Troubleshooting
Issue Resolution
Solutions don't work with Adobe still installed Foxit cannot open embedded Office PDFs while Adobe Acrobat or Reader is installed. Adobe takes precedence for this functionality. Uninstall Adobe products first.
Registry path doesn't exist Run "Make default PDF viewers" from Foxit Preferences to create the required registry entries.
Issue returns after Windows Update Some Windows updates can reset file associations. Re-run Solution 1 to restore the correct settings.
64-bit Office installation For 64-bit Office, also check the non-WOW6432Node path: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{8801CA65-A1FC-11D0-85AD-444553540000}\LocalServer32