PDFs no longer open in the legacy IE browser control

[isladogs]

Recently there have been several reports that PDF files (whether local or online) no longer open in the old IE browser control.
This is on machines that have the latest Windows Jan 2026 updates.

Some people report just seeing an empty grey box where the browser control is located.

In my tests, using Windows 10 22H2 19045.6809 and Access 2603 19728.20004 Beta Channel, I can view both local and online PDFs in the IE browser control without issues

However, using Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.7705 and Access 365 2603 19727.20000 Beta Channel, I get this message for both local & online PDFs in the IE browser control :

In both cases, clicking Open, opens the PDF externally in my default browser (MS Edge)

The issue has been reported to the Access team but there appears to be no changes done in Access that would have caused it .
If possible, could others test in Win 10 / Win11 to help determine whether it is a Win 11 specific issue rather than a change in Access

 

[moke123]

Win11 pro 24H2 26100.7623
Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2511 Build 16.0.19426.20260) 64-bit

Checking an old app I get an empty box.

 

[isladogs]

No dialog to open or save?

 

[arnelgp]

just tested it using the Legacy webbrowser and created new database on Windows 11 and Office 2024 x64, and still it works!

 

[isladogs]

Thanks @arnelgp.
How up to date is your Windows 11 machine? Full version build would really help.
The issue apparently began after the January updates and also may not affect 2024 LTSC

 

[moke123]

No dialog to open or save?

No, nothing.

 

[isladogs]

Not sure if its relevant but out of interest, what is your default browser and what is your default app for opening PDFs?

 

[Isaac]

Makes me wonder how an old app I wrote that totally depended on this functionality is doing - but I am long since no longer with the corporation.
The things that suddenly change like this are depressing and make feel not reliable.

Anyway, to contribute I'd like to try testing it too, but want to clarify - is this the Webbrowser control that's available from the default installed list of controls on the toolbox? that amounts to a name of "WebBrowser0" when dragged onto form? the one that's missing the .navigate method?

 

[Isaac]

This loads fine for me:

Me.WebBrowser0.ControlSource = "=""C:\Users\Firstname Lastname\Desktop\Misc\ChatGPT Financial Literacy book\PAPERBACK Financial Basics Manuscript.pdf"""
Me.WebBrowser0.Requery

 

[isladogs]

Thanks @Isaac but could you report back on your Windows & Office version and builds - as I did in post #1
The issue only seems to be on Win 11 machines that have the latest updates.

 

[Isaac]

Oops, sorry I forgot to do that. I'm on Windows 10 19045.6466

 

[GPGeorge]

I can't quite get my head around this.

Yesterday or the day before, I updated Windows 11 and M365. After that I saw the failure to load the pdf in the web browser control.

Today, it loads again.

I am now updating M365 yet again and will follow that with a check on Windows 11. However, it is confusing as can be.

 

[Isaac]

doesn't Win11 do some aggressive updating - i.e. behind the scenes totally? maybe they sneaky-patched it without admitting fault.

 

[GPGeorge]

Confirmed.

I have Windows 11, version 25H2. 2026-01 Preview Update (KB5074105) (26200.7705) installed.
Microsoft® Access® for Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2601 Build 16.0.19628.20166 Click-to-run) , updated just now.

The same PDF now opens in both the IE webbrowser and the new Edge webbrowser. I swear it did not yesterday. I'm totally confused.

 

[moke123]

I'll check my home computer too. I have no control over my work versions.

 

[arnelgp]

my windows 11 version

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

I have a new win 11 VM, and the Edge browser does show the pdf, but i not (yet) tested Access or say runtime, and how the web brower control works. More "troubling" of course is that SOME use the Adobe pdf viewer in their browser, and now that Adobe has both a x32 bit version, and a x65 bit version, then matching up things becomes "more" problematic.

Note that Edge, Chrome, FireFox do have a build in "open source" library to view pdfs, based on the pdf.js project.

These built in viewers of course going to be a "safer" bet, since now we have:

Adobe and web browser plug in - x32 or x64 bits.
Access x32 or x64 bits - and that means the x32 or x64 bit version of Edge will be used here.

However, if you setup Edge (x64 bits) to view pdf's using Adobe, then I'm not sure what occurs in Access x32, since it's using a x32 bit version of the browser - and thus can NOT now use Adobe, and will have to default to using the built-in pdf.js library.

I can thus confirm on a recent, new fresh install of windows 11, from a iso image?
The default Edge browser can and does display pdf's just fine, and I not installed adobe PDF viewer at all.

I'll try and see (time permitting tomorrow) if a quick setup of say Access runtime, and viewing a pdf works on this fresh win 11 install......
This is a new "test" VM, and I can roll back changes to this vm after I test......

R
Albert

 

[KitaYama]

Windows 11 Pro for Workstations 25H2
Microsoft 365 Version 2508 Build 19127-20532 Click to run
Adobe Acrobat Pro (Latest version)

I see only a gray rectangle instead of the pdf.
It's my code:

URL = "file:///" & Full_Path_To_Local_PDF
.wBrowser.Object.Navigate URL
.wBrowser.Tag = URL

If I right click the browser and select Change To and then select New Browser Control and change the code to following, I can see the pdfs.

www2.ControlSource = "https://msaccess/" & Full_Path_To_Local_PDF

 

[isladogs]

@KitaYama
Thanks for confirming that the legacy browser control no longer displays PDFs even in versions as far back as 2508 (which used to be OK). To me that acts as further confirmation that the problem is due to a January Windows 11 update and not Access itself, as I first suggested back in post #1.
I also don't believe Acrobat is the problem as users who don't have that installed have the same issue.

@Albert D. Kallal
The issue is nothing to do with the Edge browser control in Access nor with the Edge browser itself
It is specifically that the old Access legacy browser control no longer displays PDFs for users running recent versions of Win 11. Win 10 is OK

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

@KitaYama
Thanks for confirming that the legacy browser control no longer displays PDFs even in versions as far back as 2508 (which used to be OK). To me that acts as further confirmation that the problem is due to a January Windows 11 update and not Access itself, as I first suggested back in post #1.
I also don't believe Acrobat is the problem as users who don't have that installed have the same issue.

@Albert D. Kallal
The issue is nothing to do with the Edge browser control in Access nor with the Edge browser itself
It is specifically that the old Access legacy browser control no longer displays PDFs for users running recent versions of Win 11. Win 10 is OK

Ah, very well. Of course the legacy IE access browser control actually does not have PDF ability built in. It relies on AcroPDF.dll, and that's been removed from newer installs of windows 11........

So, if you install a older version of Adobe reader, then Access IE should then start to render PDF's.
So, since we ARE using the older browser here, then windows 11 in theory should/will require AcroPDF.dll, and that means installing a legacy version of Adobe to make this work.

Hence, you could try installing a older version of Adobe reader:

link removed - wrong one....

So, a fresh win 10, or a fresh win 11 NEVER could display a pdf inside the Access browser control. This only worked AFTER having installed a pdf viewer.....(which most people did). Now that browsers can display PDF's, then "more often" a win 10 or win 11 pc will not have a pdf viewer having been installed. Your first screen shot shows pdf "icon", but it's the one from the browser -- but NOT the legacy one from Adobe!

It's certainly possible that windows updates removed, or broke the AcroPDF.dll, or un-registered it.

Either way, then when trying to display a pdf, we see the attempt to use the newer browser if a working .pdf viewer (non browser based one) does not exist or is not available (and thus the default extension for pdf's points to the newer Edge Browser). So, in a round about way, your first screen shot shows that Edge browser trying to open the .pdf, since the .pdf extension is now associated with the Edge browser (so, yes, the Edge browser is involved in this issue).

So, either re-registering AcroPDF.dll, or installing a older Adobe PDF viewer should fix this issue......

However, perhaps re-associating the .pdf extension with the Adobe Reader as opposed to the Edge browser as your screen cap shows would also fix this issue...... (so, Edge is relevant here, since it sure looks like Edge has stolen the .pdf extension as per your first screen shot.....).


R
Albert