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

  • 4 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 29 views
  • Last reply by AwedEven

AwedEven
AwedEven
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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
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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
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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 Question owner
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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 Question owner
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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.