Fixing "The Memory Could Not Be Read" Error in Adobe Acrobat

If you receive the following error message when opening PDF files directly from Outlook on a new Windows computer with no known issues, follow these steps to resolve the issue. "The instruction at 0x00000000XXXXXXXX referenced memory at 0x00000000000000XX. The memory could not be read. Click OK to terminate the program."

Quick Workaround

To avoid modifying settings, you can download the PDF file from Outlook to your local computer first and then open it with Adobe Acrobat. If you prefer a permanent fix, proceed with the steps below.

Disable "Run in AppContainer"

  1. Open Adobe Acrobat.
  2. Click on the profile picture, then select Preferences.
    • If the profile picture option is not available, go to Edit > Preferences instead.
  3. Navigate to Security (Enhanced).
  4. Uncheck Run in AppContainer.
  5. Click OK and restart Adobe Acrobat.

Enable Compatibility Mode

  1. Open the Start Menu and search for Adobe Acrobat.
  2. Right-click on Adobe Acrobat and select Open file location.
  3. Right-click on Adobe Acrobat (shortcut or executable file) and select Properties.
  4. Navigate to the Compatibility tab.
  5. Check the box for Run this program in compatibility mode for: and select Windows 8 from the dropdown.
  6. Click OK and restart Adobe Acrobat.

These steps should resolve the issue and allow you to open PDFs from Outlook without encountering the memory error. If you have any questions, please contact helpdesk@ahs.illinois.edu.


Keywords:
Memory Could Not Be Read Error in Adobe Acrobat PDF referenced memory Windows computer 
Doc ID:
149533
Owned by:
Ming C. in College of Applied Health Sciences
Created:
2025-04-02
Updated:
2025-04-17
Sites:
University of Illinois College of Applied Health Sciences