How To Change Default PDF Viewer

With everything digitized and hard copies extinct, PDF files are considered the best file types for sharing documents. Many apps can open PDF files, ranging from the PDF creator Adobe Acrobat to browsers like Chrome and Edge. But eventually, it is your choice to select and change the default PDF viewer. If you want to change the PDF reader or are fed that it is being opened in some random PDF viewer, here are the steps to change it. 

How To Change PDF View Mode

The steps to change the default app of any file type are the same for all apps. Here is what you need to do:

Step 1: Right-click on any file to change the default viewer.
Step 2: From the context menu, hover the mouse cursor on “Open With” and click the “Choose Another App” option.

Step 3: Your screen will display a list of apps suitable for opening this specific file type.
Step 4: Choose the app you wish to open your PDF files with and click the Always button in the bottom left corner.

Step 5: This will ensure that all the PDF files will always open with your chosen app.

How Do I Change My Default PDF Viewer From Chrome To Adobe

To make Adobe default PDF reader the default application, follow the steps mentioned below:

Step 1: Make right-click on any PDF file thumbnail you have on your PC.
Step 2: From the context menu choose Properties, and a new box will open.

Step 3: Under the General tab, locate “Opens With” and click the Change button.

Step 4: A list of apps that can open the PDF will be displayed. You need to select Adobe Acrobat from the list.

Step 5: Click on Apply and then click on the OK button.

You can now double-click on any PDF file, which will open with the Adobe Acrobat app.

Read Also: Adobe Premiere Pro Keeps Freezing While Opening a Project? Here’s What You Can Do!

How To Change The Default PDF Viewer To Chrome

If you want to make a PDF automatically open in Chrome, follow the below steps.

Step 1: Press Win + I to open the Settings box and click on the Apps tab in the left panel.
Step 2: Look for the Default Apps option in the right section and click on it.
Step 3: In the top search bar, enter the file type for which you wish to change the default app. In this case, we will type “.pdf” and click on the result below.

Step 4: The default program will be highlighted. In this case, it will be Adobe Acrobat, as we changed it in the previous section.

Step 5: Click the arrow mark next to Adobe Acrobat and choose an app from the Suggested apps. You can choose the Google Chrome app to make it your default PDF viewer.

Writers Tip: Use Systweak PDF Editor As Default PDF Manager

Systweak PDF Editor is a complete PDF management app that can be used as the default PDF editor to view, edit, and perform other operations on PDF files. 

To make it a default app, follow these steps:

Step 1: Press Win + I to open the Settings box and click on the Apps tab in the left panel.
Step 2: Look for the Default Apps option in the right section and click on it.
Step 3: In the top search bar, enter the file type you wish to change the default app. In this case, we will type “.pdf” and click on the result below.
Step 4: The default program will be highlighted click the arrow mark next to the default selected app and choose an app from the Suggested apps. Choose Systweak PDF Editor and make it your default PDF viewer.

There are many modules incorporated in the Systweak PDF Editor that will help you make all the changes you need in your uneditable PDF. Here are some of the features of this amazing app:

Edit PDFs. This module includes adding text, images, callouts, signatures, and watermarks, editing the existing content, and cropping the PDF.

Add Comments. Systweak PDF Editor allows users to highlight sections in PDF, underline text, add notes, add shapes, and stamp the PDF file.

Convert PDF. This PDF manager allows you to convert PDF files to other file types and convert Excel, documents, images, etc., to PDF format.

View PDF. The Systweak PDF Editor allows users to view the PDf conveniently in different viewing modes.

Manage Pages. This PDF editor lets you insert or delete pages from your PDF. It also allows users to rotate and move pages with ease.

Other Functions. Systweak PDF Editor has many other modules, such as performing OCR, compressing PDFs, merging/splitting PDFs, adding passwords, removing metadata, and many other features.

Bonus Tip: Change PDF Viewer On Android Devices

The PDF viewer for Android devices is set by default as Google Drive. You can set it to a different app if you wish to. There are many PDF viewer apps, but we recommend the UPDF app. To change the default PDF viewer on Android, you need to follow these steps:

Step 1: Install UPDF on your Android device.
Step 2: Open any PDF file on your device and check which app is currently set as default.
Step 3: Tap on the Settings icon and then tap on Apps.

Step 4: A list of apps installed on your device will be displayed. Tap on the current default app for PDF, followed by tapping on the Set as Default option.

Step 5: Then tap the Clear button next to the Clear Defaults option.
Step 6: Exit Settings and try to open the PDF file again. This time, it will not open directly but will ask you to select an app to open the file. Just remember to select the UPDF app and tap on Always underneath it.

Thus, you have now successfully changed your PDF viewer on your Android device.

Conclusion

We hope you can now change the default PDF viewer on Windows PC. In the comments section below, please tell us about your favorite PDF reader and how you made it your default PDF app.

Read Also: How to Convert JPG/PNG & Other Image Formats To PDF – (Free & Paid)