How to Force Google Chrome to Always Open PDF Files in an External Reader

Modern web browsers have evolved to include many built-in utilities, including fully functional PDF readers. When you click a link to a PDF document in Google Chrome, it will automatically open that file within a new browser tab. While this is convenient for a quick read, Chrome’s internal PDF viewer lacks advanced features like electronic signatures, detailed annotation tools, or complex form-filling capabilities found in dedicated software like Adobe Acrobat.

If you rely on professional PDF software for your daily workflow, manually downloading the file, opening your file explorer, and then launching it in your preferred reader is a frustrating extra step. Fortunately, you can configure Google Chrome to bypass its internal viewer entirely and force it to automatically download all PDF files.

Changing the PDF Document Settings in Chrome

To force Chrome to stop opening PDFs in a new tab, you must delve into the browser’s site settings.

1. Open the Google Chrome browser on your computer.
2. Click the Menu icon (the three vertical dots) in the top-right corner of the window, just below the “X” button.
3. From the dropdown list, select Settings.
4. Look at the navigation menu on the left side of the screen and click on Privacy and security.
5. In the main panel, click on Site settings.
6. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the Site settings page. Look for a section titled “Additional content settings” and click it to expand the menu.
7. Click on PDF documents.
8. You will see two options regarding default behaviour. Select the option labelled Download PDFs (the wording might slightly differ depending on your exact Chrome version, but look for the option to download rather than open in Chrome).

With this setting enabled, whenever you click a PDF link online, Chrome will immediately download it to your local hard drive instead of trying to render it in a new tab.

Ensuring Windows Uses Your Preferred PDF Reader

Now that Chrome is downloading the files, you need to ensure that your operating system knows exactly which program to use when you click on that downloaded file.

1. Open File Explorer on your Windows PC and locate any PDF file you have recently downloaded.
2. Right-click on the PDF file.
3. Hover over Open with and then select Choose another app from the sub-menu.
4. A popup window will appear listing various programs (including Chrome and Microsoft Edge). Select your preferred dedicated reader, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader or Foxit PDF.
5. Before clicking OK, ensure you check the box at the bottom of the window that says Always use this app to open .pdf files.
6. Click OK.

From now on, when you click a PDF link in Chrome, the file will download automatically. When you click that downloaded file in your browser’s download tray, it will instantly launch in Adobe Acrobat (or your chosen software), giving you immediate access to all your advanced editing tools.