How to open a .PDF file online
Three steps, a few seconds, no software.
Choose your .PDF file
Drag your .PDF file onto the box above or click Choose file. You can also paste a link.
Supported
Your .PDF file is opened and its pages, version and properties are shown.
Read, print or save
Scroll, zoom and search your .PDF file, print it, or go fullscreen for comfortable reading.
What is a .PDF file?
Everything worth knowing about Portable Document Format files.
A PDF (Portable Document Format) is a fixed-layout document that looks identical on every device; fonts, images, and layout are all embedded. Open it in any browser or the built-in viewer on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android for free. To edit the text or convert to Word, you need a PDF editor or converter, not just a reader.
Programs that open .PDF files
| Full name | Portable Document Format |
|---|---|
| Developer | Adobe Systems; now an ISO open standard (ISO 32000) |
| First released | 1993 (Adobe); ISO 32000-1 in 2008, ISO 32000-2 (PDF 2.0) in 2017/2020 |
| Category | Documents |
| MIME type | application/pdf |
| Signature | 25 50 44 46 2D ("%PDF-" followed by the version, e.g. %PDF-1.7) |
Related tools
Do more with your PDF, all free and.
Is my .PDF file uploaded to your server?
No. When you choose a file, it's opened directly for you. The "From URL" option fetches the file through our server for you.
Can I open a password-protected .PDF file?
Yes. The viewer will ask for the password, just like a desktop reader. The password is never sent anywhere.
Is there a file size limit?
You can open a .PDF file up to 100 MB. Very large files may take a moment to render on older phones.
Why does my .PDF file open in a new tab on my phone?
Some mobile browsers can't display these files inside a page. In that case we hand the file to your phone's own viewer, which is the fastest way to read it.
My file says .PDF but won't open. Why?
It might not be a .PDF file at all. The viewer checks the file's signature and tells you what the file really is, plus which tool can open it.
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