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How to Stop Microsoft Edge from Opening PDFs
4 min. read
Published onJuly 27, 2023
published onJuly 27, 2023
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You can stop Microsoft Edge from opening PDFs in the browser and let a dedicated app does the work. You just have to tweak a few settings in the browser to take control of the situation because it’s better to let a dedicated app handle its work than a browser usage.
That being the case, bypassing the issue and learning how to keep Microsoft Edge from opening PDF files is essential.
By doing so, open and read different files in one tab or save files directly in PDF format on your desktop screen. Needless to mention, this move doesn’t stop you from other actions, which means you cansave a webpage as a PDFand launch it using your tailored software.
All having been said, we tested and simplified the process of changing the default app for opening PDF files so you can apply it seamlessly on your own. That will help you learn how to stop Microsoft Edge from opening .pdf and .html files.
Why does Microsoft Edge keep opening my PDF files?
The Microsoft Edge browser keeps opening your PDF files because it has a built-in PDF viewer that is enabled by default on Windows. So, whenever a PDF file appears, it opens the same right away. But, you can take control of it and stop Microsoft Edge from hijacking PDF files from a dedicated app like Adobe Acrobat.
You may need support to change the file association settings and fix Edge keeps opening PDFs in the browser issue.
Worry not, as you can use the following solutions and learn how to stop PDF files from opening in Edge on Windows 10 and Windows 11. So, you can remove the problem and visualize all your PDFs with dedicated desktop readers.
How do I stop Edge from opening PDF files?
1. Change the default browser on your PC
First off, you can change the default app on Windows so that all the PDF files open in that selected app. Just follow the below steps to choose Adobe Acrobat as your default choice for opening .pdf files rather than Microsoft Edge.
You can also disable the PDF viewer in Microsoft Edge without changing the default app by completely changing the browser. In this case, you can chooseOpera Onebrowser as your default choice to open the files.
This browser can be set to automatically open PDF files naturally and view your files quickly, grouping multiple file tabs in one set or downloading the pages seamlessly. Hence, this solution is the most proper way to solve Edge keeps opening PDFs in browser issues.
⇒Get Opera One
2. Modify settings in the Microsoft Edge browser
After applying the steps above, make sure you have set the default app you prefer to open any PDF documents on your PC.
In case you change your mind and do not wish to follow the above-mentioned steps then you should resolve anyplugin loading errorfirst so to keep away any file viewing troubles.
As a matter of fact, you can as well compare Microsoft Edge with other browsers and see which one works best for you. So if you’re not sure about what browser to pick next, take a look at our verdict forEdge vs Brave vs Chrome browsercomparison.
So, now you know that you can prevent Microsoft Edge from automatically opening PDF files in the browser and choose to open them in an external application instead.
Radu Tyrsina
Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time).
For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web.
Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they’re looking for.
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Radu Tyrsina
