![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.online-tech-tips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Featured-Disable-the-Default-Built-In-PDF-Viewer-in-Chrome-Firefox-Edge-Safari.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDisable the Built-In PDF Viewer in Chrome<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In Google Chrome, you have the option of downloading PDFs instead of opening them. That also deactivates the browser’s built-in PDF viewer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Open the Chrome<\/strong> menu (select icon with three dots at the top-right of the window) and choose Settings<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Select Privacy and security <\/strong>on the sidebar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Select Site Settings<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Scroll down and select Additional content settings<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Select PDF documents<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. Select the radio button next to Download PDFs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That should disable the PDF viewer in Chrome. If you want to re-enable it later, repeat the steps above but select Open PDFs in Chrome<\/strong> in step 6<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mozilla Firefox not only lets you disable its built-in PDF viewer but also allows you to pick between downloading documents or having them open automatically in your computer’s default PDF viewer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Open the Firefox<\/strong> menu (select the icon with three-stacked lines at the top-right of the screen) and choose Settings<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Under the General<\/strong> tab, scroll down to Files and Applications<\/strong> > Applications<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Select Portable Document Format (PDF)<\/strong> and set the Action<\/strong> to Save File<\/strong> or Use macOS\/Windows default application<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You’ve disabled the PDF viewer in Firefox, and any PDF documents will download or launch in your PC or Mac’s default PDF viewer (depending on the setting you selected).<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to re-enable the PDF viewer in Firefox, repeat the steps above but select Open in Firefox<\/strong> in step 3<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just like with Chrome, you can configure Microsoft Edge to download PDFs to local storage. All that takes is a brief visit to the browser’s settings page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Open the Edge<\/strong> menu (select icon with three dots at the top-right of the screen) and choose Settings<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Select Cookies and Site Permissions<\/strong> on the sidebar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Scroll down the screen and select PDF documents<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Turn on the switch next to Always download PDFs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You’ve disabled the default PDF viewer in Edge. If you want to re-enable it later, repeat the steps above but turn off the switch next to Always download PDFs<\/strong> in step 4<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike other browsers, you don’t have an option to disable the PDF viewer on the Mac’s native Safari browser. But you can choose to download a PDF without opening it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To do that, just hold down the Option<\/strong> key while selecting a link that points to a PDF file. Try practicing it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if your Mac runs an old version of macOS (such as macOS 10.13 High Sierra or earlier), running the following command in Terminal will disable the built-in PDF viewer in Safari:<\/p>\n\n\n\n defaults write com.apple.Safari WebKitOmitPDFSupport -bool YES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Note: If you want to re-activate the PDF viewer later, rerun the same command, replacing YES<\/strong> with NO<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By default, every web browser saves PDFs (and other downloads) into the Downloads folder on your PC or Mac. Here’s a quick run-through to changing the download location in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari. For more information, check out our guide to changing the download location in any browser<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Revisit Chrome’s Settings<\/strong> page and select Advanced<\/strong> > Downloads<\/strong> on the sidebar. Then, use the Change<\/strong> button next to Location<\/strong> to specify a different directory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Open Firefox’s Settings<\/strong> page and scroll down to the Files and Applications <\/strong>section. Under Downloads<\/strong>, select the Choose<\/strong> button to pick a different download directory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Re-open the Settings<\/strong> page in Edge and select Downloads<\/strong> on the sidebar. Then, select Change <\/strong>next to Location<\/strong> to switch download directories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Select Safari<\/strong> > Preferences<\/strong> on the menu bar. Then, under the General<\/strong> tab, open the pull-down menu next to File download location<\/strong> and select Other<\/strong> to change the download directory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After downloading a PDF to your PC, double-clicking it will open the file in the default\u00a0 PDF viewer on your computer (Microsoft Edge in Windows and Preview in macOS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you prefer having a different program open your PDFs always, you must change the default PDF viewer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Right-click any PDF file and select Open with<\/strong> > Choose another app<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Select the PDF viewer or editor from the list of programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Check the box next to Always use this app to open .pdf files<\/strong> and select OK<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Control-click or right-click any PDF file and select Get Info<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Open the pull-down menu under Open with<\/strong> and select your preferred PDF viewer or editor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Select Change All<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note:<\/strong> If you can’t make any changes, try clicking the Lock<\/strong> icon at the lower-left corner of the Info window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can always download PDFs after opening them in your browser’s built-in PDF viewer, but automating the procedure saves lots of clicks in the long run. Don’t forget to try these top PDF utilities to view and edit<\/a> your downloads.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Every major web browser\u2014be it Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari\u2014features a built-in PDF viewer that automatically opens PDF documents you come across. While that’s a quick and seamless way to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":82029,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ub_ctt_via":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[5406],"class_list":{"0":"post-82027","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-internet","8":"tag-chrome"},"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.online-tech-tips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Featured-Disable-the-Default-Built-In-PDF-Viewer-in-Chrome-Firefox-Edge-Safari.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Dilum Senevirathne","author_link":"https:\/\/www.online-tech-tips.com\/author\/dsenevirathne\/"},"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDisable the Built-in PDF Viewer in Firefox<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDisable the Built-in PDF Viewer in Edge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nBypass the PDF Viewer and Force-Download PDFs in Safari<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nChange the Default Download Location in Your Web Browser<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Google Chrome<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nMozilla Firefox<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nMicrosoft Edge<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nApple Safari<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nChange the Default PDF Viewer in Windows and macOS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Windows<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nmacOS<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDirect Downloads Help Save Time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n