Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Download your PDF
• Method 2 of 2: Open a PDF file

Should you download a PDF file you found online to watch later? PDF stands for "Portable Document Format" and is one of the most common forms of digitally storing and exchanging text and image documents. This wikiHow teaches you how to download PDF files you find online for later viewing.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Download your PDF

1. Download a free PDF reader. You need a PDF reader to open the PDF files once they are downloaded. You can download Adobe Reader for free from the Adobe website.
   • You can also open the PDF files in most browsers, although some functions may be missing.
   • Go to https://get.adobe.com/reader/ and click Install now to download Adobe Acrobat Reader.
   • There are also several third party PDF readers such as Foxit Reader, Nitro PDF Reader, and PDF XChange Editor that you can download for free.
   • Because Adobe created the PDF, their tools are usually the most powerful when it comes to working with PDFs.
2. Find the PDF you want to download. There are many websites that have information in PDF format. These websites often display the PDF in the web browser.
   • Make sure the PDF file opens in full screen as part of its own page. Not as part of another page.
3. Right-click in the PDF. This will show a pop-up menu where you right click on the document.
   • Also, some web browsers may have an icon that resembles a floppy disk (Microsoft Edge), a page with an arrow in it (Firefox), or a line with an arrow pointing down (Google Chrome). This is the icon for "Save".
   • If you Safari on Mac, click File in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
4. Click Save as or Save page as. It's in the pop-up menu that appears when you right-click in the PDF. This opens a file explorer that you can use to save and select files.
   • Some websites have links to PDF files you can download just like any other file you can download. To download these files, click the link and select where you want to download the file and click Save.
5. Choose the location where you want to save the file. Use the file explorer to go to where you want to save the PDF. You can click on the Quick Access folders in the left bar of the file explorer to select a PDF.
6. Type a name for the PDF (optional). If you want to change the name of the PDF, type a new name in the bar next to "File name:".
7. Click Save. It's in the bottom right corner of the file explorer. This will save the PDF file to your hard drive in the location you designated.

Method 2 of 2: Open a PDF file

1. Open your PDF reader. Double-click the app icon to open the PDF reader. When you use it for the first time, it may still need to complete the setup process. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup process.
   • To find the PDF reader in Windows, click the Windows Start menu in the lower left corner and type the name of the PDF reader application.
   • To find the PDF reader on the Mac, click the icon that resembles a magnifying glass in the top right corner. Type the name of the PDF reader application in the search bar.
2. click on File. This is located in the file menu at the top of the application or in the menu bar. This displays a drop-down menu.
3. click on To open. This is usually located at the top of the drop-down menu that appears when you click File clicks. This will open a file explorer that you can use to navigate to the PDF you have saved.
4. Navigate to the PDF file and click on it. Open the folder where the PDF is saved and click on it to select. You can use the Quick Access folders on the left side of the file explorer screen. Usually files that you downloaded to your computer can be found in your "Downloads" folder.
5. click on To open. This is located in the lower right corner of the file explorer. This will open the PDF in your PDF reader.
   • You can also open the file by navigating to it with Windows Explorer or the Finder on the Mac. Then double-click it to open it.
6. Start reading the PDF. Browse your PDF document as you normally would with other files. PDF readers do not allow you to edit PDF files. Use your mouse wheel to scroll down and up through the tabs, or click and drag the tabs on the left side of the screen. If you want to edit the PDF you need a program that can edit PDF files or you can edit PDF files online with a safe and reliable website.
   • You can also open and edit PDFs in Microsoft Word. Just open a PDF just like a Word document and give it a few minutes to convert the PDF.