Compare Revisions

You can view PDF files in Firefox with the built-in viewer. You can also choose a different viewer or set Firefox to always ask. Learn more.

Firefox includes a built-in PDF viewer to display PDF files inside the browser window. This article explains how to use the built-in PDF viewer, how to fix the common issues you might encounter, and how to use another PDF viewer. __TOC__ =Firefox’s built-in PDF Viewer= Firefox includes a built-in PDF viewer allows you to view almost all PDF files found on the web without an external application (exceptions to this are PDF files with a [https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Basics_of_HTTP/MIME_types MIME type] incorrectly set). The built-in viewer is used when Portable Document Format (PDF) files are set to {menu Open in Firefox} in your [[Manage file types and download actions in Firefox|Firefox settings for different types of files]]. This is the default setting. When you click on a link to a PDF file or open it from the Firefox [[Where to find and manage downloaded files in Firefox|Downloads panel]], it will be rendered with the built-in PDF viewer. (To learn more about the built-in viewer, see [[#w_using-firefoxs-built-in-pdf-viewer|Using Firefox's built-in PDF viewer]], below.) [[Image:Fx91PDFviewer]] ---- The built-in PDF viewer will open the PDF file in Firefox without saving it. When you're viewing a PDF file in Firefox, you can use the download [[Image:Fx98PDFviewer-DownloadButton]] button in the PDF viewer's toolbar to download and save the PDF file to your computer. ==Use a different PDF viewer for downloaded PDF files== When Firefox is set as the default PDF viewer and you download a PDF file in Firefox and save it to your computer, you can use a different application to view those PDF files by following these steps: {for fx98} #Open the [[Where to find and manage downloaded files in Firefox|Downloads panel]] by clicking the [[Image:Fx91DownloadsButton]] download icon next to the address bar. (Alternatively, [[Where to find and manage downloaded files in Firefox#w_see-downloads-history|open the Downloads Library window]].) #[[Template:contextmenu]] on the download entry for the PDF file you want to open. #;{for win,linux}[[Image:Fx99DownloadsPanel-PDFcontextmenu-Win]]{/for}{for mac}[[Image:Fx99DownloadsPanel-PDFcontextmenu-mac]]{/for} #Click on the context menu item for the system default PDF viewer{for win} (for example, click on {menu Open in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC}){/for}{for mac} (for example, click on {menu Open in Preview}){/for} to open the PDF file in that application. {note}'''Note:''' If you want to view a downloaded PDF file in another application, open the Downloads panel or Library window as explained above but {for win,linux}click on the file folder icon [[Image:Fx91DownloadsPanel-OpenFolderIcon]] for the PDF file entry. This will open the folder containing the downloaded file.{/for}{for mac}click on the magnifying glass icon [[Image:MagnifyingGlass]] for the PDF file entry. This will open the folder containing the downloaded file in Finder.{/for} You can then {for win,linux}right-click{/for}{for mac}control-click{/for} on the file, select {menu Open with} and choose the PDF viewer application you wish to use.{/note} {/for} {for not fx98} #Open the [[Where to find and manage downloaded files in Firefox|Downloads panel]] by clicking the [[Image:Fx91DownloadsButton]] download icon next to the address bar. (Alternatively, [[Where to find and manage downloaded files in Firefox#w_see-downloads-history|open the Downloads Library window]].) #{for win,linux}Click on the file folder icon [[Image:Fx91DownloadsPanel-OpenFolderIcon]] of the PDF file to open the folder containing the downloaded file.{/for}{for mac}Click on the magnifying glass icon [[Image:MagnifyingGlass]] of the PDF file to open the folder containing the downloaded file in Finder.{/for} #Then, in the Downloads folder, {for win,linux}right-click{/for}{for mac}Control-click{/for} on the file, select {menu Open with} and choose the PDF viewer application you wish to use. {/for} =Choose another PDF viewer to use by default or set Firefox to always ask= {for fx98}{note}'''Note:''' When you choose another PDF viewer to use by default in Firefox, or if you set Firefox to always ask you what to do with PDF files, any PDF files you open will also be saved to your Downloads folder (see [[Where to find and manage downloaded files in Firefox]]).{/note}{/for} ==Disable the built-in PDF viewer and use another viewer== You can also set a different third-party PDF viewer to handle PDF files, instead of Firefox’s built-in PDF viewer. To switch from using the built-in PDF viewer to another viewer: #[[T:optionspreferences]] #In the {menu General} panel, go down to the '''Applications''' section. #Find '''Portable Document Format (PDF)''' in the list and click on the entry to select it. #Click on the arrow under the '''Action''' column for the above entry and select the PDF viewer you wish to use from the drop-down menu. #;{for mac}[[Image:Fx77Applications-PDF-Mac]]{/for}{for linux}[[Image:Fx78Applications-PDF]]{/for}<!-- need linux image for fx77 showing drop-down options -->{for win}[[Image:Fx78Applications-PDF-Win]]{/for} {note}'''Note''': When {menu Open in Firefox} is the selected action, the built-in PDF viewer is used.{/note} ==Set Firefox to ask you what to do with PDF files== If you want Firefox to always ask you what to do with PDF files, follow the above steps to change the action for the '''Portable Document Format (PDF)''' entry, except select {menu Always ask} from the drop-down menu. The next time you click on a link to download a PDF file, Firefox will show you a prompt asking what to do with the file. You can then choose to open it with Firefox's built-in PDF viewer, open it with a different PDF application, or you can choose to save the file. ;[[Image:Fx78openingPDF-AlwaysAsk]] For more information, see [[Manage file types and download actions in Firefox]]. =Using Firefox's built-in PDF viewer= ==Fill out forms in PDF Viewer== Some PDF files have interactive fields to fill in data (such as on forms). Using Firefox's built-in PDF viewer you can fill out fields such as text, check boxes, and radio buttons. After entering data into these fields you can download the file to have the filled-out version saved to your computer. ;[[Image:PDF Form]] ==PDF Viewer toolbar functions== *'''View document thumbnails or outline:''' The slider button on the far left will open a sidebar with thumbnails of the document's pages. Some documents will also have an outline view available. These make it easy to navigate through a long document. *:[[Image:PDF Thumbnails]] *'''Page up and down or skip directly to a page:''' You can use the up and down arrows to page through a document or enter the number of the page you want to go to. *:[[Image:PDF Pager]] *'''Change the size of the document:''' Use the + and - buttons to zoom in and out or choose a zoom setting from the dropdown menu. *:[[Image:PDF Zoom]] *'''Fullscreen or Presentation mode:''' Click the fullscreen button to allow the PDF file to take over your entire screen. Press {key ESC} to exit fullscreen mode. *:[[Image:PDF Fullscreen]] *'''Print:''' Click the Printer button to open the print setup dialog. *:[[Image:PDF Print]] *'''Download:''' Click the Download button to save the PDF file to your computer{for not fx98} or to open it with a PDF reader program{/for}. *:[[Image:PDF Download]] *'''Copy current view:''' [[T:contextmenu]] the current view button to open the current view in another tab or window. *:[[Image:PDF Copy]] ==PDF Viewer keyboard shortcuts== {| !Command !Shortcut |- |Next page |{key N} or {key J} or {key &#8594;} |- |Previous page |{key P} or {key K} or {key &#8592;} |- |Zoom in |{for win,linux}{key Ctrl+&#43}{/for}{for mac}{key command+&#43}{/for} |- |Zoom out |{for win,linux}{key Ctrl+-}{/for}{for mac}{key command+-}{/for} |- |Automatic Zoom |{for win,linux}{key Ctrl+0}{/for}{for mac}{key command+0}{/for} |- |Rotate the document clockwise |{key R} |- |Rotate counterclockwise |{key Shift+R} |- |Switch to Presentation Mode |{for win,linux}{key Ctrl+Alt+P}{/for}{for mac}{key command+Alt+P}{/for} |- |Choose Text Selection Tool |{key S} |- |Choose Hand Tool |{key H} |- |Focus the Page Number input box |{for win,linux}{key Ctrl+Alt+G}{/for}{for mac}{key command+Alt+G}{/for} |} ==Troubleshoot problems with the PDF viewer== *With certain types of PDF files, the PDF Viewer may have problems displaying fonts, colors, or the whole document. If some PDF files don't render well or are blank, click the download button on the right side of the document header to open it with the default PDF viewer application on your computer. *If you can't open any PDF files with the built-in PDF viewer, a Firefox extension could be the cause. You can disable all of your extensions, to see if one of them was the problem. <!-- Maybe the user is using NoScript and doesn't want to disable it completely. Note that https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=739058 is now resolved WORKSFORME as of 2013-02-06. --> For details, see [[Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems#w_disable-all-extensions]]. Share this article: https://mzl.la/3rSd7Gy