Adobe Acrobat Reader isn't just unnecessary. The PDF tool has a history of being an application you wouldn't want on your system. Adobe Acrobat Reader carries a certain reputation, from being heavy and sluggish to a long series of security flaws. For many users, Acrobat Reader is simply overkill for reading PDF documents.

So, the question is, do you need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed? Or are there better Adobe Acrobat Reader alternatives for reading PDFs?

What Is Adobe Acrobat Reader?

adobe acrobat reader home may 2023

Adobe Acrobat Reader is one of the most popular PDF readers. For clarity, the tool is now known as Acrobat Reader, where previously it was just Reader. It comes in two main flavors: Free and Premium. The free Acrobat Reader version allows you to view, print, and annotate PDF files, while the premium version includes tools for editing, scanning, digital signing, and file conversion, among other options.

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For most people, the advanced options available in Adobe Acrobat Reader Pro (the premium version) are overkill. However, if you're just reading the occasional PDF or printing a document or form, your regular web browser can take care of business.

Is Adobe Acrobat Reader Safe?

Adobe Acrobat Reader has a history of vulnerabilities, too. Security incidents in 2006, 2009, 2013, 2016, 2017, and 2018 required serious and immediate patching to remove critical vulnerabilities. Most of the vulnerabilities stem from JavaScript vulnerabilities in Adobe Acrobat Reader, allowing an attacker to exploit the program to gain access to the host computer and, in some cases, remotely execute code.

So, is Adobe Acrobat Reader safe? If you keep Adobe Acrobat Reader updated, then you should remain safe. Adobe pushes updates for its apps on the first Tuesday of every month (as part of Patch Tuesday, which many tech companies observe). Reading through the patch notes reveals that it isn't just Acrobat Reader receiving critical updates; all Adobe products require a significant patch periodically. Furthermore, we cannot pretend that almost all other types of software encounter a critical vulnerability every now and then; it would be disingenuous to suggest otherwise.

One thing you can do to increase your security is to adjust your Adobe Acrobat Reader JavaScript settings.

adobe acrobat reader javascript settings may 2023
  1. Head to Menu > Preferences. Alternatively, press CTRL + K on the Adobe Acrobat Reader home page.
  2. Select JavaScript from the Categories.
  3. In the JavaScript Security window, edit the options for JavaScript management.

If you want to disable JavaScript completely, uncheck Enable Acrobat JavaScript.

How to Open PDFs in Your Browser

Adobe Acrobat Reader allows you to view and print PDFs. But your browser can do exactly the same without you having to download and install an extra program.

Google Chrome

google chrome pdf reader may 2023

Google Chrome has an integrated PDF viewer. It has been bundled with Google Chrome since 2010. It makes opening online PDFs extremely quick, loading directly in your browser. Unfortunately, Chrome's PDF viewer doesn't have many features, but you can extend Chrome's PDF viewer functionality with extensions. Or rather, it has basically none unless rotating your PDFs is an absolute necessity.

However, it is fast, and for the majority of folks worldwide, it's already installed on your computer. Google Chrome can function as your default local PDF viewer, too.

  1. Right-click your PDF, and select Properties.
  2. Select Change, followed by Google Chrome.
  3. Select Apply.
change default PDF viewer windows properties

Please note that this process is the same for Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or any other PDF viewer you want to set as the default app in Windows.

Mozilla Firefox

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Like Google Chrome, Firefox has an integrated PDF viewer. In fact, Mozilla has bundled a PDF viewer since Firefox 19—we're now using Firefox 114. Who said Mozilla isn't innovative?! Firefox's PDF viewer comes with some handy features, too. For example, if you have a PDF with interactive fields, such as on a form, you can use the built-in PDF viewer to fill them in.

Firefox's PDF.js browser viewer is one of the best options around.

Microsoft Edge

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Windows native browser, Microsoft Edge, also includes an inbuilt PDF reader.

The Microsoft Edge PDF reader includes options for drawing and scribbling on your PDF using the Draw menu, as well as options to highlight and color text using the Highlight menu. There's also the option to have your PDF read aloud to you. You can use the Microsoft Edge PDF reader to fill in basic forms, and JavaScript forms are now supported.

What Happened to Microsoft Reader?

Microsoft Reader is no longer maintained and, as such, is not included in your Windows 10 or Windows 11 installation.

How to Open PDFs on macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android

Other operating systems don't require Adobe Acrobat Reader, either. macOS users have Preview and several alternatives, while there are numerous Linux PDF viewers for you to try. Android has a built-in PDF viewer, as does iOS.

While Adobe Acrobat Reader is available to all of these operating systems, there isn't really a reason to use it. Not least because there are better free PDF options available for each OS.

The Best Adobe Acrobat Reader Alternatives

If you've read enough and want to try a new PDF reader, check out the best PDF readers for Windows, including:

  1. Sumatra PDF: Sumatra PDF is an open-source, resource-light alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader. Despite its lack of advanced editing features, it supports quick PDF viewing, tabbed browsing, and keyboard shortcuts, and can handle ePub, Mobi, CBZ, and CBR files.
  2. Foxit Reader: Foxit Reader was one of the first mainstream Adobe Acrobat Reader alternatives, offering numerous features with no strings attached. Some advanced features have moved into its licensed tool over the years, but its intuitive toolbar interface remains, along with many other useful features.
  3. STDU Viewer: STUD Viewer can be used with document formats, including TIFF, PDF, DjVu, XPS, JBIG2, and WWF. It also features tabbed browsing, bookmarks, highlights, and split windows. One of its standout features is its color inversion option, which reduces eyestrain. Despite having fewer features than some competitors, it's lightweight, making it an excellent tool for reading PDFs.

These are some of the best Adobe Acrobat Reader alternatives, with some including similar functionality to Adobe Acrobat Pro.

Or, if you prefer something more lightweight, consider these very light alternatives to Adobe Acrobat Reader. They deliver PDF functionality in a smaller package, using fewer system resources than the mainstream alternative.

What's Your Favorite PDF Viewer?

You've read why you don't really need Adobe Acrobat Reader anymore. Between the internet browsers with inbuilt PDF viewers and the free PDF reader alternatives, you're well covered. As most PDFs are just documents meant for viewing in a specific format—that's what PDFs do, after all—most of the alternative PDF viewers on this list will deliver the same if not better experience.