Case 1: Want to use Chrome as the PDF viewer
In order to save space on your computer and keep it organized, you don't want to install any PDF reader, although there are a lot of such software on the market. In this case, can you use Google Chrome to open PDF documents?
Case 2: Want to view PDF in Chrome instead of downloading
PDF documents are everywhere on the web, but you certainly don't want to download every one you come across. Instead, you just want to open them to get the information you need. In this case, how to open PDF in Chrome instead of downloading it to your computer?
The good news is that the Google Chrome browser offers a convenient feature that allows users to effortlessly open and view PDF documents with its built-in PDF viewer. In addition, you can set Chrome as the default PDF viewer if needed.
Part 1. Open PDF in Chrome on Windows & Mac
Whether using a Windows computer or Mac, you can use Chrome to quickly get the information you need. However, it should be noted that the Chrome PDF viewer offers only a limited reading mode and the user cannot make any edits or modifications to the document. If you are OK with that, you can follow the steps below to open PDF with Chrome.
1. Right-click the PDF file you want to open.
2. Choose Open with.
3. Then select Google Chrome and the file will show in the browser immediately.
If you need to view many PDF files, it can be time-consuming to make a selection each time. You can set Chrome as your default PDF viewer to quickly access and view PDF documents. From the following part, you will know how to set Chrome as the default PDF reader
How to Always Open PDF with Chrome on Windows
- Right-click a PDF file.
- Choose Properties.
- Click Change next to Open with.
- Select Google Chrome and click OK to confirm.
How to Always Open PDF with Chrome on Mac
- Right-click any PDF file.
- Click Get Info option.
- Choose Open With.
- Finally, select Google Chrome.
However, the Chrome PDF Viewer does not help you to edit the PDF file. If you want to make some changes to the PDF, there are two options for you to choose from:
- Use Chrome PDF Editor. Multiple PDF editor extensions, such as Adobe Acrobat, Smallpdf, PDF2GO, etc., can help you edit PDFs in Chrome. To get them, go to Settings of Chrome > Extension > Visit Chrome Web Store.
- Download PDF files and edit them with a professional PDF utility. Unlike PDF editor extensions, specialized software provides more features and is more stable. You can go to the last part to get more info, or you can click the download button below to get the tool right away.
Part 2. Open PDF in Chrome Instead of Downloading
Usually, Chrome PDF Viewer is enabled by default to help users quickly view the file. It also allows users to quickly download a file rather than open it. If you can only download a PDF but can't open it, it's probably because the Settings are wrong. You can go to Settings of Chrome to adjust the settings. Let’s see how to open PDF in Chrome instead of downloading.
1. Open Google Chrome and click the three-dots icon in the upper-right corner.
2. Go to Settings > Privacy and security> Site settings > Additional content settings > PDF documents.
3. Choose Open PDFs in Chrome.
Part 3. What to Do When Can’t Open PDF in Chrome?
Followed all the steps above but can't open PDF in Chrome? Try these ways to troubleshoot the problem.
- Update Google Chrome to the latest version.
- Close Google Chrome and relaunch it. Or you can restart your computer to try it.
- Clear cookies and caches. In Chrome, click the three-dots icon > go to Settings > Privacy and security > click Clear browsing data & Cookies and other site data to make it.
Bonus: Easily View, Edit, and Manage PDF on PC
If you want to handle PDF files in the way you like, a professional PDF tool is needed. With such a tool, you can view PDFs in various modes, edit any part of the page, easily merge or split PDF files, etc. Here, SwifDoo PDF is recommended. SwifDoo PDF is one powerful yet easy-to-use PDF software for Windows users. With the user-friendly interface, you can quickly find the tools you need.
- When you want to view PDFs, simply click the View tab. Then, you can select the mode you prefer: view two pages side by side, full screen, slideshow. You are also allowed to adjust the size of the page.
- When you want to edit or add annotations to a page, click Edit or Annotate tab, and you're ready to go. SwifDoo PDF allows you to edit both text and images. You can easily add annotations using more than a dozen annotation tools.
For more features, you can get the free trial version to explore more by yourself.
- View PDFs in various modes
- Edit texts and images as you want
- Add annotations in any place
- Quickly merge and split PDFs
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7
Open PDF with Chrome FAQs
Q: How do I get my PDF file open the Chrome?
Right-click the PDF > Choose Open with > Select Google Chrome.
Q: Why does Chrome download PDF instead of opening?
It's probably because you have selected "Download PDF" instead of "Open PDF in Chrome".
Q: Where is PDF settings in Chrome?
Click the three-dots icon at the top right corner > Go to Settings > Privacy and security> Site settings > Additional content settings > PDF documents and you can adjust the settings.
Final Words
Now you know how to open PDF with Chrome on Mac and PC. As one of the most powerful browsers in the world, Chrome offers many features that allow users to get a browsing and reading experience, one of which is the PDF viewer.
However, the Chrome PDF viewer does not support PDF editing. If you want to add your own ideas to the file, you can use the online editor extension or a desktop app such as SwifDoo PDF.
