Open PDF files

Full name

Adobe Portable Document Format
Developer

Adobe Systems
Popularity

Have you encountered a problem with a PDF file? Don’t you know which program opens a file with this extension? You will find all the information you need about working with a PDF file here. In the further part of this page we have added a list of programs that should open your PDF file. It is enough you choose a proper application for your operating system, download and install it.

What is PDF file?

The PDF document is developed by Adobe in 1993 file format, which has gained considerably in importance with the development of the Internet. In addition to HTML is the PDF the most used document format on the Internet. It is used by many companies for manuals and datasheets, but also governments and other organizations use PDF very often.

More info

A PDF can contain texts, pictures, graphics as well as vector drawings or 3D objects. The advantage of PDF lies in the fact that there are display programs on every platform and normally the complete layout (arrangement of pictures, fonts, etc.) is displayed the same everywhere. PDF documents can also be encrypted and work with Digital Rights Management (DRM), which is why you can find PDF more and more often in e-book stores.

The standard viewer on Windows and Mac systems is Adobe Acrobat Reader. However, since security vulnerabilities have been discovered many times, one should possibly resort to one of the free alternatives.

Also for the creation there are quite a few programs, whereby also here Adobe with the Adobe Acrobat course sets the standard program. In addition to some commercial alternatives, there is for example a free alternative with OpenOffice or LibreOffice. Another possibility to create PDF documents are the so-called PDF printer drivers (for example Bullzip, Mac OSX is able to create PDFs per print dialog), which make it possible to create PDFs from almost any program.

Via Plugin (http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/project/pdfimport) OpenOffice.org Draw can also import and edit PDF files.

Programs which can open a PDF file

Windows

Linux

Mac OS

Android

iOS

Windows Phone

Adobe Reader

How to open file with PDF extension?

In order to open a file with PDF extension one of the following programs must be installed on user’s system. If a problem with opening PDF file occurred, it is highly possible that none of the listed programs is present on user’s system. Even if one or more said programs are installed, there may be issues related with given programs. In order to solve a problem with PDF files, follow the instructions below.

Install Apple Preview or other program from the list

Most often resolving problems with opening PDF files is very simple. Just install an appropriate program that supports such files. All of the listed programs support PDF files, but may vary in offered function and purpose. Some programs may be capable only of viewing contents of PDF files or offer file conversion options, but may not be capable of editing such files.

Set Apple Preview as the default program for opening PDF files

It is possible that although a compatible program has been installed on user’s system, it is not used by the system to open it. This may happen because no default application was associated with this type of files. To associate PDF files with given application, select "Open with" from drop-down menu (accessed by right-clicking on the file). Then select from the list the program or application you want to be used to open this type of file. If the Apple Preview applications is not on the list, select "Browse" option in order to manually locate the directory where Apple Preview has been installed.

Check the section that lists most common problems with PDF files

Sometimes problems with opening PDF files may not lie with the application itself, but can arise due to other causes, such as:

File data is corrupted
PDF files has been not been completely download from the internet (only a part of the data has been downloaded)
Currently used user account hasn’t been granted necessary privileges to open PDF files (should that be the case, please contact your system administrator or IT specialist)
PDF file was being copied from a corrupted storage device and is incomplete or data is corrupted. (Copying files from unknown or untrusted sources should be conducted with great care as such files may contain malicious software, which can damage your system)