Overview
Display any PDF files in the Chrome browser with HTML5. Online editor, viewer and PDF converter tool.
PDF Viewer for Chrome is a free and very useful tool that allows you to view and edit files directly in your browser.
To see the file with this Reader simply hit the icon installed in the browser’s toolbar or just click the Chrome’s context menu and select «Open with PDF Viewer».
Reader is the industry-leading solution. Use this tools right in Google Chrome to get the best viewing experience and get more done while browsing. You can add comments to file, including sticky notes, text, and highlights—all for free.
What’s NEW:
• Dark and light mode.
• Read your document aloud
• View file offline
To operate with this extension, please right-click on any link and then click on — Open and Download with Viewer — item from the context menu. The files will first be «downloaded» and then «opened» in a default viewer (the one which is set on the options page). Please note that the file will be downloaded in the «default» download folder on your machine.
Leave feedback and ask questions about our product Viewer! We are developing new features and always listen to feedback.
Details
-
Version
1.0.9
-
Updated
January 27, 2025
-
Size
2.53MiB
-
Languages
-
Developer
Website Emailjgarrettk13@gmail.com
-
Non-trader
This developer has not identified itself as a trader. For consumers in the European Union, please note that consumer rights do not apply to contracts between you and this developer.
Privacy
The developer has disclosed that it will not collect or use your data. To learn more, see the developer’s privacy policy.
This developer declares that your data is
- Not being sold to third parties, outside of the approved use cases
- Not being used or transferred for purposes that are unrelated to the item’s core functionality
- Not being used or transferred to determine creditworthiness or for lending purposes
Related
PDF Viewer Pro — View, Edit, Fill, Convert, Sign, and More
5.0(4)
PDF Viewer Pro: Your all-in-one PDF solution. View, edit, fill, comment, and sign PDFs seamlessly in your browser.
Easy PDF Viewer
5.0(3)
Efficiently View and Interact with PDFs: Easy Navigation, Zooming, and Annotations!
doqment PDF Reader
4.6(28)
Mozilla’s HTML5 PDF Viewer with Reader-mode add-on.
PDF Wizardry Toolkit
4.8(22)
Transform PDFs like magic: Merge, Convert, Append, Download — all in one tool!
Adobe Acrobat: PDF edit, convert, sign tools
4.4(56.8K)
Do more in Google Chrome with Adobe Acrobat PDF tools. View, fill, comment, sign, and try convert and compress tools.
Open in PDF Reader
3.5(50)
Send PDF links directly to your favorite PDF viewer like Adobe Acrobat Reader
PDF Viewer
3.3(2.7K)
Uses HTML5 to display PDF files directly in the browser.
Xodo | PDF Editor, Converter & Merger
3.8(32)
Free PDF tool to edit, convert, compress, merge, combine, crop, and redact PDF files.
Save Webpage As PDF
3.1(29)
【Ultimate】Convert webpage to pdf in one click. Save as PDF easily.
Beck PDF Downloader
4.2(16)
Mit diesem Hilfsmittel können Bücher aus der Beck eLibrary oder der Nomos eLibrary mit einem Klick heruntergeladen werden.…
PDF Reader
4.5(83)
A general-purpose Portable Document Format (PDF) viewer based on Mozilla’s PDF.js library
PDF Viewer
3.6(8)
Read PDF File and highlight/make edits to the PDF File
PDF Viewer Pro — View, Edit, Fill, Convert, Sign, and More
5.0(4)
PDF Viewer Pro: Your all-in-one PDF solution. View, edit, fill, comment, and sign PDFs seamlessly in your browser.
Easy PDF Viewer
5.0(3)
Efficiently View and Interact with PDFs: Easy Navigation, Zooming, and Annotations!
doqment PDF Reader
4.6(28)
Mozilla’s HTML5 PDF Viewer with Reader-mode add-on.
PDF Wizardry Toolkit
4.8(22)
Transform PDFs like magic: Merge, Convert, Append, Download — all in one tool!
Adobe Acrobat: PDF edit, convert, sign tools
4.4(56.8K)
Do more in Google Chrome with Adobe Acrobat PDF tools. View, fill, comment, sign, and try convert and compress tools.
Open in PDF Reader
3.5(50)
Send PDF links directly to your favorite PDF viewer like Adobe Acrobat Reader
PDF Viewer
3.3(2.7K)
Uses HTML5 to display PDF files directly in the browser.
Xodo | PDF Editor, Converter & Merger
3.8(32)
Free PDF tool to edit, convert, compress, merge, combine, crop, and redact PDF files.
Developed By: Google LLC
License: Free
Rating: 4,2/5 — 366.836 votes
Last Updated: April 21, 2025
App Details
Version | 2.19.381.03.80 |
Size | 7 MB |
Release Date | May 26, 20 |
Category | Productivity Apps |
App Permissions: |
|
What’s New: |
|
Description from Developer: |
About this app
On this page you can download Google PDF Viewer and install on Windows PC. Google PDF Viewer is free Productivity app, developed by Google LLC. Latest version of Google PDF Viewer is 2.19.381.03.80, was released on 2020-05-26 (updated on 2025-04-21). Estimated number of the downloads is more than 100,000,000. Overall rating of Google PDF Viewer is 4,2. Generally most of the top apps on Android Store have rating of 4+. This app had been rated by 366,836 users, 239,635 users had rated it 5*, 42,910 users had rated it 1*.
How to install Google PDF Viewer on Windows?
Instruction on how to install Google PDF Viewer on Windows 10 Windows 11 PC & Laptop
In this post, I am going to show you how to install Google PDF Viewer on Windows PC by using Android App Player such as BlueStacks, LDPlayer, Nox, KOPlayer, …
Before you start, you will need to download the APK/XAPK installer file, you can find download button on top of this page. Save it to easy-to-find location.
[Note] You can also download older versions of this app on bottom of this page.
Below you will find a detailed step-by-step guide, but I want to give you a fast overview of how it works. All you need is an emulator that will emulate an Android device on your Windows PC and then you can install applications and use it — you see you’re playing it on Android, but this runs not on a smartphone or tablet, it runs on a PC.
If this doesn’t work on your PC, or you cannot install, comment here and we will help you!
- Install using BlueStacks
- Install using NoxPlayer
Step By Step Guide To Install Google PDF Viewer using BlueStacks
- Download and Install BlueStacks at: https://www.bluestacks.com. The installation procedure is quite simple. After successful installation, open the Bluestacks emulator. It may take some time to load the Bluestacks app initially. Once it is opened, you should be able to see the Home screen of Bluestacks.
- Open the APK/XAPK file: Double-click the APK/XAPK file to launch BlueStacks and install the application. If your APK/XAPK file doesn’t automatically open BlueStacks, right-click on it and select Open with… Browse to the BlueStacks. You can also drag-and-drop the APK/XAPK file onto the BlueStacks home screen
- Once installed, click «Google PDF Viewer» icon on the home screen to start using, it’ll work like a charm
[Note 1] For better performance and compatibility, choose BlueStacks 5 Nougat 64-bit read more
[Note 2] about Bluetooth: At the moment, support for Bluetooth is not available on BlueStacks. Hence, apps that require control of Bluetooth may not work on BlueStacks.
How to install Google PDF Viewer on Windows PC using NoxPlayer
- Download & Install NoxPlayer at: https://www.bignox.com. The installation is easy to carry out.
- Drag the APK/XAPK file to the NoxPlayer interface and drop it to install
- The installation process will take place quickly. After successful installation, you can find «Google PDF Viewer» on the home screen of NoxPlayer, just click to open it.
Discussion
(*) is required
viewer
documents
files
cloud
Google PDF Viewer is a free web-based PDF viewer that allows users to view PDF files directly in their web browser. It is powered by Google’s advanced document rendering technology and works on all major browsers without needing any plug-ins or add-ons.
What is Google PDF Viewer?
Google PDF Viewer is a free web-based tool that allows users to view PDF files directly in their web browser without needing to install any additional software or plug-ins. It is powered by Google’s advanced document rendering technology that converts PDF files into HTML5 so they can be displayed properly on the web.
Some key features of Google PDF Viewer include:
- Works on all major browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc. without needing any plugins
- Allows scrolling, zooming, rotation, download and print options for PDFs
- Has quick page loading speeds and smooth scrolling thanks to HTML5 conversion
- Supports copying text snippets from PDFs
- Completely free to use with no sign-ups required
- Secured access via HTTPS protocol
- Option to open PDFs in new tab or download them
Overall, Google PDF Viewer provides a convenient way for users to quickly view PDFs on the web without needing to have PDF readers installed. Its seamless browser integration and fast performance make it a great choice for viewing PDFs on the go.
Google PDF Viewer Features
Features
- View PDF files directly in browser
- No plugins or downloads required
- Fast rendering of PDF documents
- Page zooming and smooth scrolling
- Print PDF documents
- Search text in PDF files
- Download PDF files
- View PDF files on mobile devices
Pros
Free to use
Works on all major browsers
Fast and smooth PDF viewing
Mobile friendly
No installation required
Cons
Limited annotation features
Cannot edit PDF files
Lacks advanced PDF features like form filling
Requires internet connection
Official Links
The Best Google PDF Viewer Alternatives
Top
Office & Productivity
and
Pdf Viewers
and other similar apps like Google PDF Viewer
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Adobe Acrobat Reader is a free software application developed by Adobe Systems for viewing, printing, signing, and annotating Portable Document Format (PDF) files. It is the most popular PDF viewer and one of the most widely used free software downloads with over 2 billion installations across platforms and devices.Acrobat Reader…
SumatraPDF
SumatraPDF is a free and open-source document viewer that supports many file formats. It was originally designed as a replacement for the Windows PDF reader while being much lighter, faster, and more customizable.Some key features of SumatraPDF include:Support for PDF, EPUB, MOBI, CHM, XPS, DjVu, CBZ, CBR file formatsMinimal design…
PDF-XChange Editor
PDF-XChange Editor is a powerful, yet easy-to-use PDF editing software for Windows. It enables users to view, edit, annotate, OCR, and sign PDF documents.With PDF-XChange Editor, you can add text, images, shapes, and freehand drawings to PDFs. It comes with a wide range of annotation tools including highlights, underlines, strikethroughs,…
Okular
Okular is a feature-rich document viewer application designed for the KDE desktop environment on Linux operating systems. It can open and display a wide variety of document formats including PDF, EPUB, PostScript, DjVu, CHM, XPS, ODT, FictionBook, ComicBook, Plucker, and others.Some of the key features of Okular include:Smooth scrolling and…
Foxit Reader
Foxit Reader is a free, fast and lightweight PDF viewer that allows you to view, annotate, sign, and print PDF documents. Developed as an alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader, Foxit offers the essential PDF features without the large file size and system resource usage of Acrobat.Key features of Foxit Reader…
Xodo
Xodo is a feature-rich PDF reader and annotator that allows you to view, edit, sign, share and collaborate on PDF documents across devices and platforms. It is offered as a free app for Windows, Linux, Android, iOS and as a web app that works in all major browsers.Some of the…
Evince
Evince is a lightweight document viewer application designed for the GNOME desktop environment. It supports the most common document formats including PDF, PostScript, DjVu and TIFF. Some key features of Evince include:Fast and efficient, optimized for GNOMESmooth scrolling and responsive UIThumbnails and two-page layout for easy browsingAnnotations and form-filling supportMinimalistic…
MuPDF
MuPDF is an open source software library and set of tools for rendering PDF documents. Developed by Artifex Software, MuPDF is designed to be lightweight, fast, and efficient.As a PDF viewer, MuPDF allows users to quickly open and scroll through PDF files while using minimal system resources. It renders PDF…
Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js)
Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) is an open source PDF viewer that is built into Firefox web browser. It was launched in 2012 as part of the Firefox web browser and allows users to view PDF documents directly within the browser, without needing any external PDF viewer plugins.PDF.js uses HTML5canvas and…
Librera Reader
Librera Reader is a highly customizable, open source ebook reader application for Android devices. It is designed to provide an efficient reading experience and support for a wide variety of ebook formats.Some key features of Librera Reader include:Support for common ebook formats such as EPUB, MOBI, PDF, DjVu, FB2, CBR,…
Qoppa PDF Studio
Qoppa PDF Studio is a versatile PDF editing and creation application for Windows. It provides a wide range of tools for working with PDF files.With Qoppa PDF Studio, you can make modifications to existing PDFs, such as adding or editing text, images, links, bookmarks, and form fields. It also allows…
MJ PDF Reader
MJ PDF Reader is a free PDF viewer for Windows that provides a lightweight yet full-featured alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader. Developed by Software995, it aims to balance functionality, speed, and ease of use.Some key features of MJ PDF Reader include:Tabbed document interface for opening multiple PDFsFast page loading and…
You can open, search and edit PDFs in Chrome.
Important: To use these PDF features, your device must run Android 12 and up. Learn how to check your Android version.
Open a PDF
You can open a PDF from a website in the Chrome browser. You don’t need to download the PDF or use a PDF reader.
- On your Android device, open Chrome .
- Go to a website with a PDF.
- To open, tap the PDF link.
Tips:
Navigate a PDF
You can navigate a PDF similar to a web page.
You can:
- Scroll through the file: When you scroll, the ‘Edit’ button disappears and the scroll handle shows on the right-hand side.
- Zoom in and out:
- To zoom in, on the screen, pinch open.
- To zoom out, on the screen, pinch closed.
- Select text:
- Touch and hold the text.
- To adjust your selection, drag the handles.
Find text in a PDF
- In an open PDF in Chrome, at the top right, tap More .
- Select Find in page.
- Enter the text.
- To find the next or previous instance of the text, select the up or down arrow.
Edit a PDF
- In an open PDF in Chrome, at the bottom right, tap Edit .
- The PDF opens in Google Drive.
- From the menu, at the bottom of the screen, you can edit with:
-
Pen
-
Highlighter
-
Eraser
-
Undo or Redo
-
Hide or Show annotations
-
Tip: If you use an Android tablet, at the left of the screen, you can find the menu.
Download a PDF
- In an open PDF in Chrome, at the top right, tap More .
- Tap Download .
Tip: To find all of your downloaded files, at the top right, tap More Downloads .
Related resources
- Download a file
- Print from Chrome
- Read pages later and offline
Was this helpful?
How can we improve it?
Since its release in September 2008, Google Chrome has become the global default internet browser with an estimated 3.5 billion users worldwide. And more than just for surfing the web, it comes with plenty of other built-in features — including some basic PDF viewing capabilities.
In this guide, we’ll go through some of the advantages and limitations of opening PDF files in the Chrome browser, as well as comparing some other options for complete control over your PDFs.
Chrome PDF Viewer — Built-In Functionality
By default, Google Chrome’s PDF viewer is turned on and allows you to open PDF files within the browser without having to download the PDF file. Just simply click a PDF file link and it will open in a new tab automatically. This gives you quick and easy access to your document.
From there, you have basic options allowing you to rotate, save, and print your PDF. Let’s explore the benefits of opening PDF files in Chrome in more detail:
Instant Accessibility
The Chrome PDF Viewer allows you to open PDFs without the need to download PDF files or install additional software. You can even set the Chrome browser as your default PDF viewer, allowing you to open PDFs on your system in Chrome.
Basic PDF File Navigation
Chrome includes some basic PDF navigation options, such as page zoom, rotation, and the ability to jump to specific pages. While not exhaustive, its simplicity makes Chrome one of the easiest ways to view PDFs.
Text Search and Highlighting
The Find tool works with PDFs exactly like it does on any other webpage, allowing you to use the built-in text search functionality and jump straight to the keywords or phrases you’re looking for.
Page Navigation
For PDF files with many pages, Chrome offers another way to navigate through the document. On the left-hand side of your browser tab, you will see thumbnails for each of the pages in the document — which you can quickly and easily scroll through and click on to navigate to.
Printing Capability of PDF Documents
With the print functionality, Chrome allows you to print a hard copy of your PDF or save it as a PDF file on your computer. This is helpful for PDF files which allow you to make changes — such as filling in your personal information — and saving to use elsewhere.
Enhanced Security and Privacy
By containing the PDF within the browser environment, the Chrome PDF Viewer can provide enhanced security, site settings, and privacy benefits compared to downloading files to local devices. This can help mitigate potential risks associated with downloading and opening PDF format files from unknown sources.
Compatibility
The Chrome PDF Viewer is seamlessly integrated into the Google Chrome browser, making it compatible with various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. This compatibility ensures a consistent PDF viewing experience across different platforms.
And that’s how to open a PDF in Chrome, as well as some of the features Google offers. However, if you’d rather switch off this feature, you can do so by clicking the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner, then Settings, Privacy & Security, and Site Settings. Scroll down to Additional Content Settings, open the PDF Documents menu, and select Download PDFs. This will mean that any PDF file link you click in Chrome, it will automatically download it to your system instead of opening it in the browser.
IronPDF: Unleashing Advanced PDF File Viewing with C
IronPDF is a lightweight .NET PDF library designed specifically with web developers in mind. Viewing PDFs is just one of many uses — it makes reading, writing, and manipulating PDFs a breeze, and you can use it in your .NET projects for both desktop and web. The best part — it’s free to try out in a development environment.
One of the main advantages of IronPDF is its flexibility. It can be used as a standalone desktop application or integrated into your web application using the IronPDF API. Additionally, IronPDF is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
Key Features of IronPDF
Programmatic Control
IronPDF puts developers in the driver’s seat, allowing them to manipulate and edit PDF files using C# code. This feature opens up a world of possibilities, enabling dynamic customization and interactive enhancements within a PDF file.
Interactive Elements
Unlike the Chrome PDF Viewer, IronPDF supports the addition of various interactive elements, such as form fields, digital signatures, annotations, and multimedia. Developers can create engaging and user-friendly PDF experiences through these features.
Advanced Editing
IronPDF enables developers to edit and modify PDF content programmatically. This includes the ability to update text, images, and other document elements, transforming static documents into dynamic and up-to-date resources.
Cross-Platform Compatibility
IronPDF works seamlessly on Windows, macOS, and Linux environments. This cross-platform compatibility offers developers the flexibility to deploy their applications across a wide range of operating systems.
Visual Integrity
The library ensures that the visual integrity of PDF content is preserved during interactions and modifications. Fonts, images, and layouts remain consistent, maintaining the professional appearance of the document.
Security Features
IronPDF offers advanced security features, such as encryption, digital signatures, and password protection to safeguard sensitive PDF files. This level of security goes beyond the basic protections provided by the Chrome PDF Viewer.
How IronPDF Takes PDF Viewing Further
Let’s see IronPDF in action with a simple code example. Here, we’ll generate a PDF with custom text:
var text = "<p style='font-size:20px;'>Hello IronPDF!</p>";
var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
var pdfDocument = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(text);
pdfDocument.SaveAs("myPDF.pdf");
var text = "<p style='font-size:20px;'>Hello IronPDF!</p>";
var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
var pdfDocument = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(text);
pdfDocument.SaveAs("myPDF.pdf");
Dim text = "<p style='font-size:20px;'>Hello IronPDF!</p>"
Dim renderer = New ChromePdfRenderer()
Dim pdfDocument = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(text)
pdfDocument.SaveAs("myPDF.pdf")
$vbLabelText $csharpLabel
The above code will create the PDF and save it to the given path. Here’s how it looks:
Overcoming Limitations of Chrome PDF Viewer with IronPDF
Google Chrome is a great tool to quickly and easily view and print PDF files — but not much else. IronPDF offers far more functionality and customization options.
And this is just the start — with HTML to PDF conversion, PDF formatting tools, built-in security and compliance features, and more, IronPDF is the number one tool for all of your PDF document needs.
Ready to get your hands on IronPDF? You can start with our 30-day free trial for IronPDF. It’s also completely free to use for development purposes so you can really get to see what it’s made of. And if you like what you see, IronPDF starts as low as $749 at our pricing page. For even bigger savings, check out the Iron Suite offering all nine Iron Software tools where you can get all nine Iron Software tools for the price of two. Happy coding!