[Solved] Acrobat Failed to Send a DDE Command (100% Working)

Adobe Acrobat is a popular and most useful software to read PDF files. Although it is a well-known software, it doesn’t mean that it has no software or server issues. Normally, adobe acrobat doesn’t face any issues but it can happen that during using the software, you may face an error that is saying Acrobat failed to connect to a DDE server during merging several files into a single PDF. You neither know what is this error nor how to fix it.

Well, don’t worry because most adobe acrobat users are familiar with this issue and you are not alone who are facing this for the first time. Based on other users’ reviews about this problem, we have pointed out the best 6 solutions in this article to fix this issue.

Reasons behind Acrobat DDE Server Error

There are many possible reasons for the Acrobat DDE server problem. The most common reasons are –

Trying to combine two or more PDF files into one using Adobe Acrobat
Due to the problem with the Acrobat program which is not running properly
Due to the security flaw of the system that is related to the Acrobat

You don’t need to go to any specialist to fix this problem because you can fix this with some simple methods.

How to Fix ‘Acrobat Failed to Send a DDE Command’ Error?

There are many reasons why you can get the error message to inform you that the Acrobat failed to connect to a DDE server. Each of the reasons needs a particular solution. But as you don’t know the exact reason why acrobat is showing this error message on your PC, I will suggest you try the methods that are given below one by one. I ensure you that you will be able to fix your acrobat in the end.

Restart The Acrobat Software

As I already mentioned above, the error could occur due to the program running inappropriate way. Stopping and re-running the program can fix this problem:

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc simultaneously to open the Task Manager
Now, find Adobe Acrobat Reader and right-click on it.
Then, click on End task

Finally, reopen the Adobe Acrobat software and check if the issue is gone or not.

If you still face the same error message that is saying Acrobat failed to connect to a DDE server, then follow the next method to fix this problem.

Update The Acrobat Software

You can fix this issue by either updating or reinstalling the Adobe Acrobat software.

For updating it, follow the instruction below:

Open Adobe Acrobat Reader and click on Help from the title bar
Next, click on Check for updates from the end of the list
If you find any update there, install that and your problem will be solved

For Reinstalling it, follow the instruction below:

Press the Windows key and R key simultaneously to open the Run program
Now, Type appwiz.cpl in the box and click OK

From there, find Adobe Acrobat Reader and click on it
Then, click on Uninstall

After uninstalling the software, restart your PC and Download Adobe Acrobat reader from the official website.

Now, you are good to go and will no longer find the issue with the software. If not, then follow the next method.

Repair The Acrobat Software

Then there was any problem during the installation of the Adobe Acrobat, it might show the error. Repairing the software can be another way to fix that issue. Here is the process to repair Adobe Acrobat:

Go to Programs and features by following previous instructions and right-click on Adobe Acrobat software
This time, select Change instead of selecting uninstall
Select the first radio button on the following page and click next

Now, wait a while until it repairs all the flaws related to the software automatically

In the end, press Finish and restart your PC

Now check if the issue is remaining or not. If it still exists, then move to the next method.

Disable Antivirus for A Moment

Third-party Antivirus software often causes Acrobat to fail to connect to a DDE server. To prevent it, you need to disable your antivirus software temporarily.

After turning off the real-time protection of your antivirus, check if Adobe Acrobat is still showing the same error or not. If not, then uninstall the antivirus software and install another one. Again, if this method doesn’t work for you, then try the next one.

Edit the Registry Values

Editing Registry fixes the issues with acrobat connecting to the DDE server as it is the official method to fix this problem. You may now wonder if this is the official method then why it is on number 5, instead of number 1. Well, the answer is simple. Read the message below to understand it:

Precaution: Editing the registry can damage the whole operating system. You may lose your valuable files and documents for that. So, you’d better back up the registry that you are going to edit in advance. Do this at your own risk.

I hope now you understand why it is in the 5^th position in this article. Let’s see how you can edit the registry.

Open the Run program and type Regedit in it then click Ok and Yes
On the Registry Editor, navigate to –

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\acrobat\shell\open\ddeexec\application

Now, select the key as in the picture below

Double click on Default
Now remove the value – AcroviewA18 or AcroviewA19
Then, enter the value – AcroviewR18 or AcroviewR19

Note: The value A, R, 18, and 19 depends on the version of your Acrobat. For example, A18 is for Acrobat 2018. So, you need to choose value accordingly.

Now click OK and restart your PC

Hope this will solve the error with your Acrobat. If not, then read the last method.

Turn Off Protect Mode at Start-Up

The protection mode provides an extra layer of protection that sometimes prevent Adobe Acrobat to merge two files or open a PDF file. Thus, it shows that the Acrobat failed to connect to a DDE server. Disabling the protection mode can solve this issue with your Acrobat. For this, you can try out the instruction below:

Turn on Adobe Acrobat Reader software and click on Edit on the title bar
Now, click on Preference and select Security (Enhanced) from the left menu bar
Next, deselect Enable Protected Mode at Startup and Enable Enhanced Security options

Finally, close the preference window and reopen the adobe to check if the error is existing or not

Hopefully, the issue will be solved this time because many users have gotten rid of the DDE server error of Acrobat by following this method.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is DDE Server?

Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) is used to exchange information between the program in the operating system. Many programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, Lotus, etc. use DDE to transfer information with the OS. DDE provides the applications with some protocols and works as an inter-process to communicate. The standard exchange area of DDE is shared memory.

How Can I Connect to DDE Server Using Acrobat?

The Adobe Acrobat automatically connects to the DDE server. So, you don’t need to connect it manually. However, some error occurs during merging the files using the Adobe Acrobat application and it fails to connect to a DDE server. In that case, you can follow the methods that are given above to solve this issue. After applying the methods, your Adobe Acrobat will be able to connect to a DDE server automatically.

What Does AcroRd32 EXE Application Error Mean?

AcroRd32 is a common error that is faced by many Adobe Acrobat Reader users. There are several reasons for this error. It can be due to a problem with the program registry entries, corrupt adobe reader files, or problems during the installation of Adobe Acrobat. There is nothing more you can do to fix it without reinstalling the program.

How Do I Fix Adobe Acrobat Reader Error – “There Was an Error Opening This Document”?

There are several reasons behind this error and you can fix it by trying a few things. First of all, you need to ensure that you are using the latest version of Adobe Acrobat software. If not, then uninstall Adobe Acrobat from your PC and download it from the official website of Adobe. If that does not work for you then you should try to open that document in another program like Google Docs or MS Word. If these programs can open your document successfully, then you should assume that there is something wrong with your document and need to repair it.

Conclusion

In a word, if you face the issue that the Acrobat failed to connect to a DDE server error, then you can easily fix it using the mentioned methods in this article. I hope now you can enjoy reading your PDF using your Adobe Acrobat without any issues. Don’t hesitate to leave your further questions or suggestions in our comment box and we will evaluate that.