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How to View PDF on Windows 10/11? (3 Ways)

Whenever you have to open a specific type of file on your PC, you get to use the right type of tool for it. When opening PDF documents, people don’t usually know their best options and settle for a tool that is not good for their productivity and experience. In this guide, we will discuss your best options to view PDF Windows 10 so you get the best experience and functionality.

Part 1. How to Open PDF on Windows 10/11 Via UPDF?

The best way of opening and viewing PDF documents on your Windows PC is by using UPDF. UPDF is famous as a PDF editing software that contains AI capabilities to make PDF reading and editing easier for you. It has great PDF viewing capabilities, making it a better option for opening PDF documents.

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Read PDF on Windows with UPDF

Thanks to its intuitively designed user interface, UPDF brings a great experience of reading PDF documents with the best screen space utilization. It makes reading PDFs easier while showing you all the editing options on the sides if needed. Meanwhile, the options for effortlessly scrolling through the PDF documents are on top.

Along with all these benefits, the technical features of UPDF make it a strong contender:

  • UPDF Cloud helps you access PDF files anytime and anywhere.
  • UPDF AI allows you to summarize, translate, write, and explain PDFs easily.
  • Annotate PDF files using comments, sticky notes, pencils, stickers, and more.
  • Add an open and permission password to protect your PDF.
  • Create PDF from any format and convert PDF to any popular formats you need like Excel, PPT, Text, Word, etc.
  • OCR to convert your scanned documents to editable ones, etc.

Lastly, unlike other tools, UPDF allows you to open your PDF documents in multiple ways, including the following:

Way 1. Open PDF on Windows 10/11

The first way of opening PDF with UPDF brings the most basic experience. It is simple and does not offer an experience much different from other options. Here are the steps to open PDF on UPDF:

1. Run UPDF and click Open File

You must first run the UPDF app on your PC to open your PDF documents. The easy way of doing that is by double-clicking the desktop icon. However, you can search for "UPDF" in your Windows Start menu if you don't find the icon.

Once UPDF opens, find and open the PDF document by clicking the "Open File" option on the top to select the PDF file you want to open. Now you can view your PDF.

Open PDF file on Windows using UPDF

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Way 2. View PDF in Full Screen on Windows 10/11 Via Slideshow

If you want a full-screen experience with nothing interrupting the content, then you can use the UPDF slideshow feature. It is also a beneficial option when you need to present content in front of a group. So, here is how your can view PDF in full screen with the slideshow feature:

1. Open UPDF App and open PDF

To use the slideshow method, you will use the "Open File" option after the app runs and double-click a PDF document to open it.

2. Click the slideshow option.

You will see the PDF document in the UPDF interface after it opens. You must click the "slideshow" button from the top options on the window you see. Clicking will immediately start the slideshow. Otherwise, you can hover the cursor over it and select if you want to begin the slideshow from the current or the first slide of the PDF document.

play pdf as a slideshow

Way 3. Open Multiple PDF Files at Once on Windows 10/11

One of the best things about UPDF is that you can open multiple PDF documents at once without putting much load on your device’s hardware. Opening them is very easy and does not require any technical process. Here are the steps to open multiple PDF files on UPDF at once:

1. Run the UPDF app on the PC

To open multiple PDF files on UPDF, you don’t need to start the UPDF app multiple times. Instead, you only need to start it once, and that can be done with the help of a desktop icon since double-clicking it will open UPDF. Use the Windows search method otherwise. However, this time we will not use the "Open File."

2. Select and drag PDF documents to UPDF.

Open the folder containing all the PDF documents you want to open. Click to select multiple PDF files at once, and when you have selected all of them, drag them and drop them in UPDF. UPDF will instantly open multiple PDF documents, and you will get a browser-like tabbed interface with each PDF having its different tab.

Open Multiple PDF Files at Once on Windows 10/11

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Part 2. How to View PDF on Windows Via Browser?

It usually works as a built-in option for Windows PC if you don’t select any other PDF software as your default choice. However, if you have different options for opening the PDF documents on your PC and you want to go with the browser, here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Right-click and "Open With."

Locate the icon of the PDF that you want to open and do a right click on it. You will see multiple options for moving the cursor to the "open with" option. It will show a quick list of apps that will contain your browser. Click the browser, and the PDF document will open in it. If you don’t see the browser in the "open with" list, click "Choose another app" for more options.

Open PDF with Microsoft Edge

Part 3. How to Open PDF on Windows Via Adobe Acrobat

Sometimes using the browser to open PDF documents is not enough, and you cannot install software on your PC. In such circumstances, you must go for an online tool. Adobe Acrobat is a famous PDF editing and working software, and recently, it has launched an online version. It can be a handy pick for when you want to open your PDF documents online. Acrobat Online also gives an easy experience with the following steps:

1. Click “Upload a File”

Start by opening the Acrobat Online webpage on a browser. You will need an internet connection, and signing in is also important. Once you go to the home interface, click the "Upload a file" button and select the desired PDF from the browse window.

Upload PDF file via Adobe acrobat online

2. View PDF

It will take a second to upload and load your PDF, and then you can view it. All the editing options are also present on the top and sides of the PDF.

view pdf adobe acrobat online

Part 4. FAQS About Opening PDF on Windows 10/11

Q1. Why Can't I Open PDF Files in Windows 10/11

There could be several reasons why a PDF document is not opening on your Windows 10 or 11 PC. The most common reasons include:

  1. Outdated PDF opening software
  2. Corrupted PDF document
  3. Permission or security issues restricting the PDF from opening
  4. Outdated Windows updates or software conflicts
  5. Inappropriate PDF reader installation
  6. Registry problems
  7. Hardware issue with your PC

Usually, one or more of these problems can cause your PDF files to not open.

Q2. How to Change the Default PDF Viewer in Windows 10?

The process of changing the default PDF viewer is extremely easy, and you have to follow only the following steps:

  1. Right-click on the icon of any PDF file.
  2. Go to Properties
  3. Under the "General" tab, look for the "Opens With" option
  4. Click the "Change" button next to the app that opens PDFs by default
  5. Select any app from the list and click "OK."

Now all your PDF documents will open with that newly selected app.

Q3. How do I make a PDF Full Screen in Chrome?

After you open a PDF in Chrome, click the 3 dots on the top left and click "Present". That will give you a full-screen view of the PDF, but the pages will not stretch width-wise. So, for a better experience, click the 3 bars on the top left to close the menu, click the fit-to-width button from the top menu, and then press the F11 key. Now you will get the best full-screen PDF viewing experience on Chrome.

Final Words

Whether you go for a browser, an online tool, or offline software, the experience will vary across all options. Because every method and tool is designed differently, their features and functionalities vary. However, whenever you want to view PDF on Windows 10, the most important thing you must prioritize is your experience. So, always select a method that provides the best viewing experience and other features.

If you need to view and read PDF documents, you may need to edit or share them. So, going for a PDF viewer only or picking different tools for different requirements will not be your best choice. Instead, go for a complete package; when you need that, UPDF is the best pick. UPDF brings every functionality that you need while working on PDF documents. It offers everything you need, from editing to viewing, sharing, collaborating, etc.

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