PDF24 Creator: Fixing Common Errors and Troubleshooting

PDF24 Creator remains one of the most reliable free PDF tools for Windows 10 and 11, but recent updates and security changes in Windows have introduced specific operational errors. Issues often stem from the underlying Windows Print Spooler service, permission conflicts in temporary folders, or incompatibilities with the new WebView2 interface required for the modern UI. This guide covers the most frequent technical failures users encounter in 2025 and provides direct, actionable solutions to get your PDF workflow back on track.

Common Errors

• Printer Driver Not Found: The virtual printer is missing from the print dialog, or the installation log reports "Printer does not exist".
• Service Not Started (Error 1053): The background service fails to launch after a reboot, preventing any PDF conversion.
• Backend Not Available: The application interface fails to load due to WebView2 runtime conflicts.
• Email/MAPI Failure: Clicking "Send via Email" does nothing or crashes the application due to interface incompatibilities.
• Error 0x80070005 (Access Denied): The software cannot write temporary files during the conversion process.

Fix 1: Printer Driver Not Found

If PDF24 is installed but does not appear in your printer list, the automatic driver installation likely failed. You can manually force Windows to recognize the virtual printer port.

1. Open the Windows Settings menu and navigate to Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Click Add device, wait a moment, then click The printer that I want isn't listed.
3. Select Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings and click Next.
4. Select Create a new port. From the dropdown, choose Local Port.
5. In the "Enter a port name" box, type exactly: \.pipePDFPrint and click OK.
6. Select Generic as the manufacturer and Generic / Text Only as the driver (or select the PDF24 driver if visible in the list).
7. Name the printer PDF24 and finish the wizard.

Fix 2: Service Not Started (Error 1053)

The "PDF24 Windows Service" handles the actual file conversion. If this service stops or times out during Windows startup, the application cannot process print jobs.

1. Press Windows Key + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
2. Scroll down to find PDF24 Service in the list.
3. Right-click it and select Properties.
4. Check the "Startup type" is set to Automatic (Delayed Start). This gives Windows more time to load dependencies.
5. Go to the Recovery tab.
6. Change "First failure" and "Second failure" to Restart the Service.
7. Click Apply, then right-click the service name and select Start.

Fix 3: Backend Not Available (WebView2 Error)

Modern versions of PDF24 use Microsoft Edge WebView2 for the interface. If this component is corrupt or missing, you will see a blank screen or a "Backend not available" error.

1. Download the WebView2 Evergreen Bootstrapper directly from the official Microsoft Edge developer site.
2. Run the installer as Administrator to repair the runtime environment.
3. If the error persists, open the Registry Editor (Windows Key + R, type regedit).
4. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwarePDF24WebView2.
5. Right-click in the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
6. Name it webview2.useRoamingAppData and set the value to 1.
7. Restart PDF24 Creator.

Fix 4: Email Interface (MAPI) Failure

When the "Send by Email" button fails, it is usually because the default MAPI interface is conflicting with your Outlook or Thunderbird version. Changing the registry to use a different interface solves this.

1. Close PDF24 Creator completely (check the system tray).
2. Open the Registry Editor by typing regedit in the Windows Start menu.
3. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREPDF24CreatorSettings.
4. Look for a string value named EmailInterface. If it does not exist, right-click and create a new String Value with this name.
5. Double-click it and change the value to outlook_ole (if you use Outlook) or pdf24 (to use the internal mailer).
6. Click OK and restart the application.

Fix 5: Error 0x80070005 (Access Denied)

This error occurs when the application lacks permission to write to the temporary folder where it builds the PDF before moving it to your destination.

1. Navigate to C:Users[YourUsername]AppDataLocalTemp.
2. Right-click the Temp folder and select Properties.
3. Go to the Security tab and click Edit.
4. Ensure your user account has Full control checked.
5. If permissions look correct, locate the PDF24 folder inside Temp and delete it. The software will recreate it with fresh permissions on the next run.
6. Alternatively, always run PDF24 as Administrator by right-clicking the desktop icon and selecting Properties > Compatibility > Run this program as an administrator.

Prevention Tips

• Set Delayed Start: Always configure the PDF24 service to "Automatic (Delayed Start)" to prevent boot-time timeouts.
• Exclude from Antivirus: Add the PDF24 installation folder to your antivirus exclusion list to prevent the driver from being quarantined during updates.
• Regular Temp Cleaning: Periodically clear your Windows Temp folder, as thousands of leftover temporary PDF fragments can eventually cause write errors.

When to Contact Support

If you have tried the manual port assignment and registry fixes without success, you may have a deeper system conflict. Contact support if you see persistent "Spooler SubSystem App" crashes whenever you try to print, as this indicates a Windows core corruption rather than a PDF24 issue. Before contacting them, export your installation log file from %appdata%PDF24logs so the developers can see the exact failure point.