[Tip] Disable PDF viewer in Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Opera

When you click on a PDF file link on any website, almost all popular web browsers open the PDF file in their built-in PDF viewer app instead of downloading the PDF document. If you want to change this behavior and want to disable the built-in PDF viewer functionality in your web browser, this article will help you.

All popular browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Opera come with a built-in PDF viewer tool which allows the browser to direct open a PDF file instead of downloading or saving the file on user’s computer.

Following screenshot shows a PDF file opened in the default or built-in PDF viewer tool in Google Chrome browser:

Sometimes you may want to download the PDF file instead of viewing it in your web browser. In such case, disabling the built-in PDF viewer feature is the best option for you.

Many users use 3rd party PDF viewing programs such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, etc and they want to open the PDF document in the installed program instead of viewing it inside the browser.

Fortunately, all browsers allow users to disable or turn off their PDF viewer feature. Once you disable the built-in PDF viewer, your browser will always download the PDF file and then you can open it in your desired PDF viewing program.

Following steps will help you in disabling built-in PDF viewer tool in all popular web browsers:

Disable Built-in PDF Viewer in Google Chrome

1. Open Google Chrome web browser, click on 3-dots menu and select Settings option. Alternatively, you can directly open the Settings page by typing chrome://settings/ in Chrome address bar.

2. It’ll open Chrome Settings page. Now click on “Privacy and Security” section or tab present in left sidebar.

3. In right-side pane, click on Site Settings option.

4. Scroll down and click on Additional content settings option.

5. Again scroll down and click on PDF documents option.

PS: You can direct open PDF documents settings page using chrome://settings/content/pdfDocuments link in Chrome’s address bar.

6. Now select “Download PDFs” option given under “Default behavior” section.

That’s it. Now whenever you click on a PDF file link, Chrome will download the PDF file.

PS: In future, if you decide to restore or enable the built-in PDF viewer feature again in Chrome, set the “Default behavior” option for PDF documents to “Open PDFs in Chrome“.

Disable Built-in PDF Viewer in Mozilla Firefox

1. Open Firefox and click on main Firefox Menu (3-lines Hamburger menu icon) present at the right-side end of the toolbar. Now click on Settings to open Firefox settings page.

Alternatively, you can direct option this page using about:preferences command in address bar.

2. Now under “General” section, scroll down to Applications section.

3. Set the Portable Document Format (PDF) to Save File using the drop-down box.

That’s it. Now whenever you click on a PDF file link, Firefox will download the PDF file.

PS: In future, if you decide to restore or enable the built-in PDF viewer feature again in Firefox, set the above mentioned option to Open in Firefox.

Disable Built-in PDF Viewer in Microsoft Edge

1. Open Microsoft Edge browser and click on the 3-dots menu button present at the right-side of the toolbar. Now select Settings option from the main menu. Alternatively, you can press ALT+F keys together to show Edge Menu and then press S key to open Settings page. You can also directly open Edge Settings page using edge://settings/ URL in address bar.

2. It’ll open Edge Settings page. Now click on “Cookies and Site Permissions” section or tab present in left sidebar.

3. In right-side pane, scroll down and click on PDF documents option.

PS: You can direct open PDF documents settings page using edge://settings/content/pdfDocuments link in Edge’s address bar.

4. Now enable “Always download PDF files” option i.e. set the toggle button to ON.

That’s it. Now whenever you click on a PDF file link, Microsoft Edge will download the PDF file.

PS: In future, if you decide to restore or enable the built-in PDF viewer feature again in Edge, disable the “Always download PDF files” option.

Disable Built-in PDF Viewer in Opera Browser

1. Launch Opera web browser, click on Opera Menu button and then click on Settings option. Alternatively you can directly launch Settings page by pressing Alt+P keys together.

2. It’ll open Opera Settings page. Now click on “Privacy & Security” section or tab present in left sidebar.

3. In right-side pane, click on Site Settings option.

4. Scroll down and click on Additional content settings option.

5. Again scroll down and click on PDF documents option.

PS: You can direct open PDF documents settings page using opera://settings/content/pdfDocuments link in Opera’s address bar.

6. Now select “Download PDFs” option given under “Default behavior” section.

That’s it. Now whenever you click on a PDF file link, Opera will download the PDF file.

PS: In future, if you decide to restore or enable the built-in PDF viewer feature again in Opera, set the “Default behavior” option for PDF documents to “Open PDFs in Opera“.

Also Check:

[Tip] How to Change Downloads Folder Location in Your Web Browser

[Tip] How to Launch Your Web Browser with All Extensions Disabled

[Tip] How to Reset / Restore Your Web Browser Settings to Default Factory State

[Tip] Access Hidden Secret Advanced Configuration Page in Your Web Browser