Opening PDF files within Firefox (English, en)

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To display PDF files inside the Firefox browser window, you can use the PDF Viewer extension or a PDF reader plugin. This article covers both methods and how to fix the common issues you might encounter.

Using the PDF Viewer extension

Note: This extension is still in Beta phase. If you are not comfortable with that, you should instead consider using a PDF reader plugin and skip down to this section.

PDF Viewer (aka pdf.js) is a new revolutionary extension using web standard technologies that allows you to display within Firefox almost all PDF files found on the web without a plugin.

PDF JS

As it's not very old, it has the following teething problems.

PDF files open with the PDF reader plugin instead of the extension

Enabling PDF Viewer is not enough so that Firefox uses it as the default PDF viewer. You need to disable every PDF reader plugins:

  1. At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP), and then click Add-onsOn the menu bar, click on the Tools menu, and then click Add-onsAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu, and then click Add-ons. The Add-ons Manager tab will openAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu, and select Add-onsOn the menu bar, click on the Tools menu, and select Add-onsAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu, and select Add-ons. The Add-ons window will open.

  2. In the Add-ons Manager tabwindow, select the Plugins panel.
  3. Select each PDF reader plugin and click Disable close to it.

Some PDF files don't render well or are blank

PDF Viewer may have some issues to render fonts, colors or the whole document in certain PDF files. Disable it temporarily so that the PDF file opens outside Firefox with your default PDF reader:

  1. At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP), and then click Add-onsOn the menu bar, click on the Tools menu, and then click Add-onsAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu, and then click Add-ons. The Add-ons Manager tab will openAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu, and select Add-onsOn the menu bar, click on the Tools menu, and select Add-onsAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu, and select Add-ons. The Add-ons window will open.

  2. In the Add-ons Manager tabwindow, select the Extensions panel.
  3. Select PDF Viewer and click Disable close to it.
    • When you're done, click Enable to use it again for other PDF files.

Cannot open any PDF files

Some extensions blocking JavaScript scripts may prevent PDF Viewer from viewing PDF files. Disable them:

  1. At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP), and then click Add-onsOn the menu bar, click on the Tools menu, and then click Add-onsAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu, and then click Add-ons. The Add-ons Manager tab will openAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu, and select Add-onsOn the menu bar, click on the Tools menu, and select Add-onsAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu, and select Add-ons. The Add-ons window will open.

  2. In the Add-ons Manager tabwindow, select the Extensions panel.
  3. Select each blocking extension and click Disable close to it.

For more information, see Troubleshooting extensions and themes.

Using a PDF reader plugin

If you can't deal with the PDF Viewer problems, you can still use PDF reader plugins like Adobe Reader or Sumatra PDFAdobe Reader, MozPlugger, or KParts pluginSchubert|it PDF Browser Plugin on Mac OS X 10.6 and later or Firefox PDF Plugin extension.

PDF files are blank and can't be downloaded

When you install or update Adobe Reader, it installs a plugin for viewing PDF files inside Firefox and sets that as the default. The problem is that this plugin does not work. In order to view PDF files again follow these steps:

  1. At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP) and then click OptionsOn the menu bar, click on the Firefox menu and select Preferences...At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Edit menu and select PreferencesAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu and select Options...On the menu bar, click on the Firefox menu and select Preferences...At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Edit menu and select Preferences...
  2. Select the Applications panel.
  3. Type pdf into the search bar.
  4. For each content type listed, click on the drop-down menu in the Action column and change the selection to use Adobe Reader, Preview or PDF Browser Plugin (if you are using the Schubert PDF plugin).
    Reader plugin - Mac
  5. Click OK to close the Options windowClick Close to close the Preferences windowClose the Preferences window

Only the first page is visible (Mac 10.5 and below)

If PDF documents open within Firefox but only the first page is viewable, make sure that the QuickTime plugin isn't set to handle PDF content:

  1. From the Apple menu, choose System Preferences.
  2. From the View menu, choose QuickTime.
  3. Click the Plug-In tab and click MIME settings....
  4. In the list of MIME types, click the triangle next to "Images - Still image files".
  5. If "PDF Image" is checked, click the check box to clear it.
  6. Click OK

If you can't view a PDF in Firefox, continue with the next following instructions.

PDF files are downloaded

Check Firefox settings

  1. At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP) and then click OptionsOn the menu bar, click on the Firefox menu and select Preferences...At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Edit menu and select PreferencesAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu and select Options...On the menu bar, click on the Firefox menu and select Preferences...At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Edit menu and select Preferences...
  2. Select the Applications panel.
  3. Find Adobe Acrobat Document (if you're using Adobe Reader) or PDF files (for other PDF readers) in the list and click on it to select it.
  4. Click on the drop-down arrow in the Action column for the above entry and select Use PDF reader name (in Firefox).
    Opening PDF - Win

    c77e7a43631723daa6760be30a717e46-1258906074-116-1.png
    • If Use PDF reader name (in Firefox) is not listed as an Option, see Reset download actions below and then repeat this set of instructions.
  5. Click OK to close the Options windowClick Close to close the Preferences windowClose the Preferences window

If you still can't view a PDF in Firefox, continue with the following instructions.

Reset download actions

  1. Open your profile folder:

    1. At the top of the Firefox windowOn the menu bar, click on the Help menuAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button, go over to the Help menu (on Windows XP, click on the Help menu)On the menu bar, click on the Help menuAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Help menu and select Troubleshooting Information. The Troubleshooting Information tab will open.
    2. Under the Application Basics section, click on Open Containing FolderShow in Finder. A window with your profile filesfolder will open.
      Note: If you are unable to open or use Fire​fox, follow the instructions in Finding your profile without opening Firefox.

  2. At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (File menu in Windows XP) and then click ExitOn the menu bar, click on the Firefox menu and select Quit FirefoxAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the File menu and select QuitAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the File menu and select ExitOn the menu bar, click on the Firefox menu and select Quit FirefoxAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the File menu and select Quit.
  3. Delete the mimetypes.rdf file.

Check Application settings

If the PDF reader plugin comes bundled with a reader application, check the application plugin setting if there is some.

  • Adobe Reader:
    1. Open Adobe Reader.
    2. Once in Adobe Reader, click the Edit menu in the menu bar, and then click Preferences... The Preferences window will open.
    3. In the Categories section, click on Internet.
    4. Make sure the first check box, Display PDF in browser, is checked.
    5. Click OK to dismiss the Preferences window, and then close Adobe Reader.

If you still can't view a PDF in Firefox, continue with the next following instructions.

Re-initialize the plugins database

Follow the instructions in the Re-initializing the plugins database section of the Troubleshooting plugins article.

This will force Firefox to rebuild its plugin database. If you still can't view a PDF in Firefox, continue with the next following instructions.

Re-install the application

If the PDF reader plugin comes bundled with a reader application and the above troubleshooting methods for Firefox did not work, uninstall and re-install the application.

If you still can't view a PDF in Firefox, continue with the next following instructions.

Further information for Adobe Reader

If none of the above troubleshooting methods worked, see Can't view PDF on the web from Adobe.com for further instructions.

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