Join the AMA (Ask Me Anything) with the Firefox leadership team to celebrate Firefox 20th anniversary and discuss Firefox’s future on Mozilla Connect. Mark your calendar on Thursday, November 14, 18:00 - 20:00 UTC!

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

Denc nañu waxtaan wii. Yónneel yeneen laaj soo soxlaa ndimbal.

How to request pdf to open with adobe plugin from web code

derek500
derek500
more options

Hello, I have a pdf hosted on my site that I can't change. It won't display in FF's built in PDF preview, it just hangs with a spinning circle being displayed. If I force FF to use the Adobe Reader (or Adobe DC or whatever they call it now) plugin from Settings/Applications it will preview without a problem. A lot of people visit our site from FF and say that this PDF can't be viewed. Is there any way from the HTML code to request that the pdf be previewed with the Adobe plugin if available? I just get "non-computer people" who complain "I can't see this PDF" and I can respond with the FF support link to change their default PDF plugin, or I can tell them to use a different browser... but if I could just put somewhere to use the Adobe plugin if installed, this whole mess goes away.

I'm not an HTML expert, nor a PDF expert, but I have access to the web back end. Is it possible in HTML to request a specific plugin be used if available?

Otherwise, is it possible to use HTML to request that the built in FF PDF preview NOT be used?

The PDF was prepared poorly. Obviously the ideal situation is to use a PDF that will display in FF Preview, but that's not possible. This isn't the first time this problem has come up, and this isn't the only PDF I've seen with this problem.

Hello, I have a pdf hosted on my site that I can't change. It won't display in FF's built in PDF preview, it just hangs with a spinning circle being displayed. If I force FF to use the Adobe Reader (or Adobe DC or whatever they call it now) plugin from Settings/Applications it will preview without a problem. A lot of people visit our site from FF and say that this PDF can't be viewed. Is there any way from the HTML code to request that the pdf be previewed with the Adobe plugin if available? I just get "non-computer people" who complain "I can't see this PDF" and I can respond with the FF support link to change their default PDF plugin, or I can tell them to use a different browser... but if I could just put somewhere to use the Adobe plugin if installed, this whole mess goes away. I'm not an HTML expert, nor a PDF expert, but I have access to the web back end. Is it possible in HTML to request a specific plugin be used if available? Otherwise, is it possible to use HTML to request that the built in FF PDF preview NOT be used? The PDF was prepared poorly. Obviously the ideal situation is to use a PDF that will display in FF Preview, but that's not possible. This isn't the first time this problem has come up, and this isn't the only PDF I've seen with this problem.

Saafara biñ tànn

No, a webpage has no control over which PDF viewer is used. That is strictly a user choice.

Jàng tontu lii ci fi mu bokk 👍 1

All Replies (3)

the-edmeister
the-edmeister
  • Moderator
more options

Saafara yiñ Tànn

No, a webpage has no control over which PDF viewer is used. That is strictly a user choice.

derek500
derek500 Ki laajte
more options

the-edmeister said

No, a webpage has no control over which PDF viewer is used. That is strictly a user choice.

Thanks. I suppose that's fine if the user knew they had a choice. Most users think that having Adobe Reader installed on their system means it will be used to view pdfs. I only found out it changed after discovering a number of PDFs that won't work.

FF needs to let the user know they have another option when pdf preview struggles with a display.

I'll mark it as solved, but it's definitely not a solved problem. Thanks for the reply.

the-edmeister
the-edmeister
  • Moderator
more options

In the past I do recall getting a message at the top of the built-in PDF reader page that mentions something along the lines of "this PDF may not be displaying properly", with the option to use an alternative PDF reader program and presenting the choice of an alternative like Adobe if it is installed.

But I haven't seen that message in awhile, and don't know if that is a result of my having a new PC with a newer operating system now without Adobe Reader installed. Or if that message just isn't in Firefox with the last few versions.