This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Mulongo oyo etiyamaki na archive. Tuna motuna mosusu soki osengeli na lisalisi

How can I/Can I make Firefox the default .PDF viewer in Windows 7?

  • 4 biyano
  • 1 eza na nkokoso oyo
  • 4 views
  • Eyano yasuka ya AwedEven

AwedEven
AwedEven
more options

For the basic PDF viewing I do, Adobe Reader is just slow and annoying. I love using Firefox, but unfortunately I cannot set it as the default program to open PDF files. Even when I select Firefox after right clicking and select open with, Windows does not comply. Is there a config option I can change that will allow me to set Firefox as the default PDF reader.

Thank you for your help.

For the basic PDF viewing I do, Adobe Reader is just slow and annoying. I love using Firefox, but unfortunately I cannot set it as the default program to open PDF files. Even when I select Firefox after right clicking and select open with, Windows does not comply. Is there a config option I can change that will allow me to set Firefox as the default PDF reader. Thank you for your help.

All Replies (4)

joshua8hh
joshua8hh
more options

Uhm ... is that a new feature, that firefox displays PDF files natively without plugin ?

If not - there are alternate PDF readers (sumatraPDF for one), who usually are much faster and nearly as good as the adobe reader). Just install ther reader and make it the default programm under windows. The browsers (used to) look for the "windows-default-prorgramm" to display PDF files.

the-edmeister
the-edmeister
  • Moderator
more options

You can not make Firefox the default for viewing PDF files for the entire Windows Operating System, only the default viewer from within Firefox. Like when PDF files that are downloaded from websites and displayed in Firefox; you can try using File > Open File from within Firefox to view PDF file that are already saved on that PC, but I'm not sure that will work - I haven't tried doing that.

AwedEven
AwedEven Nkolo motuna
more options

Thanks for the suggestion, I think for now I'll just use the open file button in Firefox. I'm the type of person who prefers to install as few programs as possible, and uninstall things that I don't need.

AwedEven
AwedEven Nkolo motuna
more options

Yes, this is what I am using now. I just felt it might be nice to double click and have it open in the smooth, clean, well made PDF reader that is built into Firefox. In my opinion, the option to do such should be added.