How To Fix PDFVIEWER004 - The PDF format is assigned to an unknown application

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: PDFVIEWER - PDF Viewer

• Message number: 004

• Message text: The PDF format is assigned to an unknown application

What causes this issue?

On your computer, the document format "PDF" is linked to an unknown
application. PDF integration is based on the appropriate Adobe products
(Acrobat Reader or Adobe Acrobat). The application installed on your
computer is not supported.
However, the R/3 application will now try to launch an appropriate
Adobe application or if all else fails to pass the document to the HTML
Viewer.

System Response

The system issues an error message and will not allow you to continue with this transaction until the error is resolved.

How to fix this error?

Install the (free) Acrobat Reader, Version 4.0 or later.

Procedure for System Administrators

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message PDFVIEWER004 - The PDF format is assigned to an unknown application ?

  The SAP error message PDFVIEWER004 indicates that the system is unable to open a PDF file because the PDF format is assigned to an unknown application. This typically occurs when the SAP system is trying to display or download a PDF document, but the associated viewer or application for handling PDF files is not correctly configured or recognized by the system.
  
  Cause:
  
  Missing PDF Viewer: The PDF viewer application (like Adobe Acrobat Reader) is not installed on the client machine.
  Incorrect Configuration: The SAP GUI or the operating system may not be configured to recognize the installed PDF viewer.
  File Association Issues: The file association for PDF files may not be set correctly in the operating system.
  Browser Settings: If you are using a web-based SAP interface, the browser may not be configured to handle PDF files properly.
  
  
  Solution:
  
  Install a PDF Viewer: Ensure that a compatible PDF viewer (e.g., Adobe Acrobat Reader) is installed on the