How To Open PDF in Chrome

Chrome comes with a fast, built-in PDF viewer that opens files right in your browser—no extra software, no delays. Whether your PDF is saved on your computer or you’re opening it from a link, Chrome can handle it in a click.

This guide shows you how to open PDFs in Chrome, change your default viewer on Windows or Mac, and fix common settings that cause files to download instead of display. You’ll also pick up quick tips for zooming, searching, copying text, and working on your PDFs with online tools when you need more than simple viewing.

Open a PDF in Chrome

Chrome can open PDFs in two ways: from files saved on your computer or from PDF links on websites.

Open a Local PDF File

1. Right-click on a PDF.
2. Choose “Open with,” and select Google Chrome.
3. If you don’t see Chrome, click “Other...” and search for the program.
4. Click “Open” and that’s pretty much it.

The exact wording for this flow may vary a bit on different operating systems, but rest assured it all works in the same manner.

To open multiple PDF files at once in Chrome, simply highlight all of them before doing a right-click.

Open a PDF From a Website

1. Click the PDF link on the website.
2. Chrome will automatically open and display the PDF in a new tab.

Note: If you’re browsing in Incognito mode, Chrome will prompt you to download the file instead of opening it directly.

Edit and Convert PDFs Online With Smallpdf

If you prefer to just have one window open, whether you’re looking at one PDF or 30, Chrome is the way to go.

Need to do more than just view? Smallpdf tools work right in your browser and offer capabilities like:

• Edit text and images directly in your PDFs.
• Add electronic signatures with our Sign PDF tool.
• Convert between formats: PDF to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more.
• Compress large files to reduce file size.
• Merge and split documents to organize your files.

Browse our full tool list to see what’s possible. If you need more advanced features or want unlimited tasks, you can try Smallpdf Pro, which comes with a free 7-day trial.

Smallpdf also has a free Chrome Extension that allows you to access our free tools directly from your PDF opened in Chrome.

If you’re looking at a contract that needs to be signed, our Sign PDF tool helps you create and place electronic signatures in just a few clicks. Join the millions of users who have installed the Chrome extension and work on-the-go with PDFs today.

Change Chrome Settings to Open PDFs in Browser

If Chrome downloads PDFs instead of opening them in your browser, you can change this behavior in your settings.

1. Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots (⋮) in the top-right corner.
2. Go to “Settings.”
3. Select “Privacy and security” from the menu on the left.
4. Click “Site settings.”
5. Scroll down to “Additional content settings” and click on PDF documents.
6. Select the option that says, “Open PDFs in Chrome.”

Pro tip: You can also navigate directly to chrome://settings/content/pdfDocuments to access these settings quickly.

Set Chrome as Your Default PDF Viewer

Going through those steps every time you want to open a PDF in Chrome is a pain—and it’s not necessary. If you always want to read PDFs in Chrome, you can simply change the default PDF reader on your machine. It just takes a few simple steps.

How To Always Open PDF in Chrome on Windows:

1. Right-click on any PDF on your system.
2. Click “Properties,” then “Open with...”
3. Choose Google Chrome and hit “Ok.”

Doing this should switch the default reader.

How To Always Open PDF in Chrome on MacBooks:

1. Similarly, do the right-click (or control + click) on the PDF.
2. Click “Get Info,” then “Open with.”
3. Choose Google Chrome from the program list.
4. And this should do the trick.

Navigate and Search PDFs in Chrome

Once your PDF is open in Chrome, you’ll have access to several handy navigation tools: 1. Zoom in and out: Use Ctrl + and Ctrl – (or pinch on touchscreen devices). 2. Find text: Press Ctrl+F to search within the document. 3. Select and copy text: Click and drag to highlight text, then Ctrl+C to copy. 4. Navigate pages: Use the scroll handle on the right or click the page counter to jump to specific pages.

Explore Other PDF Options in Chrome

Chrome offers a few extra viewing controls that can help when you need a closer look at your document:

• Print to PDF: Open the menu (⋮), choose Print, then select Save as PDF.
• Save a PDF opened in Chrome: Click the download icon in the top-right of the viewer to save a local copy.
• Rotate view: Use the rotate button in the toolbar to turn pages left or right.
• Two-page view: Select the side-by-side page option when you want a wider reading layout.

Chrome keeps things simple, but its PDF features are basic. You can zoom, search, and copy text, but have limited annotation options.

If you need to add notes, highlight text, or even add shapes or images, Smallpdf has got you covered with the PDF Annotator tool.

Frequently Asked Questions: Open PDF in Chrome

How do I make Chrome my default PDF viewer?

Right-click any PDF file, select “Properties” (Windows) or “Get Info” (Mac), then choose Chrome under “Open with” and set it as default.

Why won’t PDFs open in Chrome?

Try updating Chrome, clearing your browser cache, or checking your PDF settings in Chrome’s Site Settings to ensure PDFs are set to open in the browser.

Can I open PDFs in Chrome on a Chromebook?

Yes! Chromebooks have built-in support for opening PDFs in Chrome—just click any PDF file or link and it’ll open automatically.

Can I edit PDFs directly in Chrome?

Chrome allows basic text selection and copying, but for editing you’ll need tools like Smallpdf’s Chrome extension for full editing capabilities.

How do I stop Chrome from downloading PDFs automatically?

Go to Chrome “Settings,” then choose “Privacy and security.” Select “Site settings,” scroll to “Additional content settings,” and click on “PDF documents.” Choose “Open PDFs in Chrome” instead of downloading the file.