open a pdf using vba in excel

calendar_today Asked Oct 4, 2013
thumb_up 14 upvotes
history Updated April 14, 2026

Direct Answer

If it's a matter of just opening PDF to send some keys to it then why not try this Sub Sample() ActiveWorkbook.FollowHyperlink "C:MyFile.pdf" End Sub I am assuming that you have…. This is a 4-line Excel VBA snippet, ranked #128th of 303 by community upvote score, from 2013.


The Problem (Q-score 4, ranked #128th of 303 in the Excel VBA archive)

The scenario as originally posted in 2013

I’m trying to open all appropriate PDFs found in the same directory as my Excel workbook using VBA. I’ve added the Adobe Acrobat xx.x Type Library reference to the project. But when I try to create the .App object I get a “Run-time error ‘429’:” error.

What am I missing?

Here’s the code;

Sub ImportNames()
Dim BlrInfoFileList() As String, NbrOfFiles As Integer, FileNameStr As String
Dim X As Integer, pdfApp As AcroApp, pdfDoc As AcroAVDoc


'Find all of the Contact Information PDFs
FileNameStr = Dir(ThisWorkbook.Path & "*Contact Information.pdf")
NbrOfFiles = 0
Do Until FileNameStr = ""
    NbrOfFiles = NbrOfFiles + 1
    ReDim Preserve BlrInfoFileList(NbrOfFiles)
    BlrInfoFileList(NbrOfFiles) = FileNameStr
    FileNameStr = Dir()
Loop

For X = 1 To NbrOfFiles
    FileNameStr = ThisWorkbook.Path & "" & BlrInfoFileList(X)
    Set pdfApp = CreateObject("AcroExch.App")
    pdfApp.Hide

    Set pdfDoc = CreateObject("AcroExch.AVDoc")
    pdfDoc.Open FileNameStr, vbNormalFocus

    SendKeys ("^a")
    SendKeys ("^c")
    SendKeys "%{F4}"

    ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Raw Data").Range("A1").Select
    SendKeys ("^v")
    Set pdfApp = Nothing
    Set pdfDoc = Nothing

    'Process Raw Data and Clear the sheet for the next PDF Document
Next X
End Sub

Why this Range / Worksheet targeting trips people up

The question centers on reaching a specific cell, range, or workbook object. In Excel VBA, this is the #1 source of failures after activation events: every property (.Value, .Formula, .Address) behaves differently depending on whether the parent Workbook is explicit or implicit.


The Verified Solution — solid answer (above median) (+14)

4-line Excel VBA pattern (copy-ready)

If it’s a matter of just opening PDF to send some keys to it then why not try this

Sub Sample()
    ActiveWorkbook.FollowHyperlink "C:MyFile.pdf"
End Sub

I am assuming that you have some pdf reader installed.


When to Use It — classic (2013–2016)

Ranked #128th in its category — specialized fit

This pattern sits in the 96% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the Excel VBA archive for a higher-consensus alternative.

What changed between 2013 and 2026

The answer is 13 years old. The Excel VBA object model has been stable across Office 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 365, and 2024/2026 LTSC, so the pattern still compiles. Changes that might affect you: 64-bit API declarations (use PtrSafe), blocked macros in downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), and the shift toward Office Scripts for web-first workflows.

help
Frequently Asked Questions

Is this above-median answer still worth copying?
expand_more

Answer score +14 vs the Excel VBA archive median ~4; this entry is solid. The score plus 4 supporting upvotes on the question itself (+4) means the asker and 13 subsequent voters all validated the approach.

Does the 4-line snippet run as-is in Office 2026?
expand_more

Yes. The 4-line pattern compiles on Office 365, Office 2024, and Office LTSC 2026. Verify two things: (a) references under Tools → References match those in the code, and (b) any Declare statements use PtrSafe on 64-bit Office.

Published around 2013 — what’s changed since?
expand_more

Published 2013, which is 13 year(s) before today’s Office 2026 build. The Excel VBA object model has had no breaking changes in that window. Three things to re-test: (1) blocked macros on downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), (2) 64-bit API declarations (PtrSafe, LongPtr), (3) any shift toward Office Scripts for web scenarios.

Which Excel VBA pattern ranks just above this one at #127?
expand_more

The pattern one rank above is “Excel VBA Loop on columns”. If your use case overlaps, compare both before committing.

Data source: Community-verified Q&A snapshot. Q-score 4, Answer-score 14, original post 2013, ranked #128th of 303 in the Excel VBA archive. Last regenerated April 14, 2026.

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