Prevent Chrome from Opening PDF Files in Browser Window

Are you tired of Google Chrome automatically downloading and opening PDF files in its browser window? If yes, then this guide is for you. In this article, we will show you a step-by-step process to prevent Chrome from opening PDF files directly in the browser window.

Why does Chrome open PDF files in browser window?

Before we dive into the solution, let's understand why Google Chrome opens PDF files in its browser window by default. The reason is that Chrome has a built-in PDF viewer that allows you to view and interact with PDF files without having to download them separately.

However, if you prefer to download PDF files instead of opening them directly in the browser window, then you can follow the steps below to change this behavior.

Step 1: Download PDFs option

To prevent Chrome from opening PDF files in its browser window, you need to enable the 'Download PDF's' option. To do this:

* Open Google Chrome and navigate to the three vertical dots on the top right corner of the browser window.

* Click on the 'Settings' option from the drop-down menu that appears.

* Scroll down to the 'Site settings' section and click on it.

* In the 'Site settings' page, expand the 'Additional content settings' tab and click on 'PDF documents'.

* Toggle the switch next to 'Download PDF's' to the 'On' position.

Once you have enabled the 'Download PDF's' option, Chrome will download PDF files instead of opening them directly in its browser window.

Step 2: Set Adobe as default PDF handler

If you want to ensure that downloaded PDF files are opened using Adobe Acrobat Reader software instead of Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome, then you need to set Adobe as the default PDF handler on your computer. To do this:

* Open Adobe Acrobat Reader software and navigate to its settings.

* In the 'Settings' page, click on the 'Preferences' option.

* In the 'Preferences' window, select the 'General' tab.

* Check the box next to 'Set Adobe as default PDF handler'.

* Click 'OK' to save your changes.

By setting Adobe Acrobat Reader software as the default PDF handler, downloaded PDF files will be opened using this software instead of Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.

In conclusion, preventing Google Chrome from opening PDF files directly in its browser window is a simple process that requires you to enable the 'Download PDF's' option and set Adobe Acrobat Reader software as the default PDF handler on your computer. By following these steps, you can ensure that downloaded PDF files are opened using Adobe Acrobat Reader software instead of Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.

Additional Tips

If you encounter any issues while trying to open PDF files in Adobe Acrobat Reader software, then it's possible that corrupted cache and cookies data are the cause. In this case, you can try restarting Chrome and checking if you can open PDF files. Additionally, you can also use alternative tools like Smallpdf or Adobe Acrobat Extension to open and read PDF files seamlessly.

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