A free tip from Atlantek Computers technicians! Viewing PDF files is an important part of everyday work on your desktop or laptop. Whether you use them for business or personal use. Some people may not need sophisticated tools with lots of features if they just want to open documents stored in this popular format. You can see below which PDF reader is best for you.
While we generally strive to make the programs we download as rich and versatile as possible, it’s important to remember that a rich set of tools can also increase the overall price of the product, especially when it comes to PDF files. If our work with PDF documents is limited to viewing and editing them, it may not be worth investing in a program we don’t really need. Most programs are free, but if you need a solution, check out our ranking of the best PDF editing programs.
The following list includes the best PDF readers for Windows computers, macOS operating systems, mobile devices, businesses and home users.
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, one of the most advanced programs for reading PDF files, not only opens documents, but also provides tools for adding signatures and notes to content. It has an intuitive and modern interface, clear images and descriptions, and full compatibility with other Adobe services. It is also possible to change the display mode, for example to scan an entire document or to display details. Another useful option is the advanced search function, which allows you to search not only for specific words, but also for all the text you type into the magnifying glass. When printing, page elements and attributes can be defined in a separate form. If you need document editing or conversion functions, try the more advanced Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Foxit Reader
The solution for working with PDF files is the free software Foxit Reader. It is a program that allows you to view documents directly on your computer, mobile device or on the Internet. In addition to composing standard PDF forms (Acroforms) and XFA (XML Form Architecture) and annotating selected sections with various markup tools, files can be stored in the cloud and shared with multiple users. The capabilities of the free Foxit Reader PDF reader don’t stop there. When working with spreadsheets, you can sign your documents, use electronic signatures and check the status of other electronic signatures by moving the cursor or finger on the screen. The application is available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux and web browsers. However, for users with more specific PDF document needs, there is Foxit PDF Editor.
MuPDF
MuPDF is a lightweight viewer for PDF, XPS, OpenXPS, CBZ, EPUB and FictionBook 2. The program includes search functions with highlighting of the first entry, zoom in and out, switch to full screen mode, and an interesting option to apply a negative or grey scale effect. You can annotate PDF documents and fill in forms via mobile browsers. And that’s not all: MuPDF also allows easy conversion of documents to HTML, SVG, PDF and CBZ extensions, as well as the ability to manipulate pages using JavaScript. The free PDF reader can be opened using command-line tools. In terms of supported platforms, MuPDF is available for Windows PCs and as a mobile app for Android and iOS devices, with source code available for all other systems.
PDF-XChange Viewer
The final app is PDF-XChange Viewer, which is just as popular for reading free PDF files as the first two apps on this list. It is a fast and functional document viewer that allows you to open PDF documents, edit them and add comments to them. The free tools also include an optical character recognition system and offer the possibility of saving each page as an image in BMP, PNG, JPEG, TGA, GIF and TIFF formats. It is also possible to fill in forms, look up words and phrases and use security functions. The PDF-XChange Viewer has been updated and replaced by the PDF-XChange Editor, which is also available as a free download in its basic version.
