Cannot insert PDF into word as usual - will only insert icon

Hello,

I would need more information to assist you with the issue.

To better understand the issue, provided us step by step instruction on how you are inserting the PDF file in Word.

Does the issue occur while inserting PDF file in a particular document or all Word files?

Provide more information to help us assist you further.

Thank you.

Thanks for your help.

First, I'm inserting the PDF by selecting "Insert" then "Object". I select the "Create from File" tab, browse to my file, and hit ok - I keep both the boxes on that tab unchecked. While previously my PDF comes up as an image of the full page, I now get an icon.

This happens with any PDF file and any Word file - I've tried several combinations. 

What I'm seeing here is that the behavior depends on the program assigned as the default for PDF files. On one computer I have Adobe Reader, and using Insert > Object will display the first page of the PDF in the Word document. On another computer I removed Adobe Reader and replaced it with Nitro Reader, and there I can only get an icon in the Word file. The clue is that it's the Nitro icon, not the generic Windows object icon.

Sometimes Windows seems to lose the information in the registry. It might help to "reassert" the assignment, either through Start > Default Programs or through Programs & Features > select Acrobat > Change. 

Unfortunately, this did not work for my computer. It is an icon for either. I'm using the same approach described above, Insert>Object in the text part, leaving both boxes unchecked and selecting my pdf file to insert.

Any other suggestions? I'm thinking of retyping/formatting this pdf, which will take quite a bit of time...

Sorry, I don't have any other suggestions. I can say that two and a half years later, on Windows 10 and with Acrobat Reader DC as the default PDF program, I can insert a 24-page PDF file as an object in either Word 2013 or Word 2016 and have the first page of the file appear. I see the same result when the Reader app is made the default.

As I suggested before, the result may depend on what PDF reader you have chosen.