Microsoft has released an out-of-band optional update to fix PDF Opening Issue Windows 10. This KB5004760 update addresses an issue that prevents users from opening PDF documents in Internet Explorer and applications using Web browser control.
The issue noticed while opening PDFs is impacting the following Windows versions:
- Client: Windows 10, version 21H1; Windows 10, version 20H2; Windows 10, version 2004
- Server: Windows Server, version 20H2; Windows Server, version 2004
An out-of-band optional update KB5004760 is now available on the Microsoft Update Catalog to address an issue in which Internet Explorer 11 and apps using the web browser control might fail to open PDFs.
Important – It’s recommended you only install this optional update on your device if you are affected by this issue. It is a cumulative update available for devices running client editions of Windows 10 versions 2004, 20H2, and 21H1 and Windows Server versions 2004, 20H2.
Issue Summary
You might be experienced after installing KB5003637 or later updates in the affected windows version that might prevent you from opening PDFs using Internet Explorer 11 or apps that use the 64-bit version of the web browser control. Additionally, a PDF might render as just a gray background when using the Adobe Acrobat plug-in.
Note – Internet Explorer is only affected if Enable 64-bit Processes for Enhanced Protected Mode is enabled in the Advanced tab in Internet Options.
Workaround
To mitigate the issue, you can use one of the following:
- Open the PDF file directly in Adobe Acrobat instead of within IE11 or the affected app.
- For IE11 only: Disable the setting in the Advanced tab of Internet Options called Enable 64-bit Processes for Enhanced Protected Mode.
Resolution – Fix PDF Opening Issue Windows 10 KB5004760
This issue was resolved in the out-of-band update. It is a cumulative update, so you do not need to apply any previous update before installing it.
It is now available on the Microsoft Update Catalog and must be manually downloaded and installed. You can import this update into Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) manually.
Validation
Click Start, Type Winver, and Press Enter. You will build version Windows 10, version 21H1 (OS Build 19043) if you use Windows 10 version 2004, 20H2, or 20H1. Once KB5004760 is successfully installed in your device, It will update the build number to 19041.1082, 19042.1082, or 19043.1082 respectively.
You can refer to Windows 10 version numbers to understand Windows 10 Version Numbers Build Numbers.
Resources
Internet Explorer 11 and apps using the web browser control might fail to open PDFs