13 Best Free PDF Readers for Mac and Windows
PDF files have been around for over 25 years, and they’re not going away anytime soon. PDFs are widely used by offices and educational institutions as they are the most widely used format for sharing and presenting documents. It makes sense that Free PDF Readers are the most used software and a standard component of every desktop and laptop.
In Summary;
- You can do more than just open and read PDFs with Advanced PDF Viewer.
- The best PDF readers available for Mac and Windows let you highlight, annotate and sign PDF files. Some of them can also be used to convert PDF files to other formats and complete PDF forms.
- You can choose the best free PDF reader for your computer with the help of our blog.
You can benefit from it if you are a business professional, student, or just someone who needs to deal with PDFs on a regular basis. Then, all these capabilities can be accessed using a high-quality PDF viewer. As a result of the increasing use of the PDF format, the need for PDF readers is increasing.
Today we are going to talk about the top free PDF readers available for Windows and macOS.
13 Top Free PDF Readers for Windows and Mac
There are many PDF readers available these days for Windows and Mac. While some are available at no charge, others call for a subscription. They also differ greatly in the features they provide. Therefore, deciding who to hire can be complicated.
The top free PDF readers that provide all the features you need and more are listed below. To make your choice easier, we have compiled the list of top PDF readers into two parts. The top free PDF readers for Mac are listed in the first section. The best free PDF downloads for Windows can be found in the second section.
Although many of the PDF readers mentioned are compatible with both systems, their features may differ slightly. Finally, finally is my personal favorite PDF reader.Let’s get started with the list right now!
Top 6 Best Free PDF Readers for Mac
Here are the top free PDF readers for macOS.
- Skim PDF
- Soda PDF
- Kdan PDF Reader
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- PDF Reader Premium
- Apple Preview
1) Skim PDF
You can read eBooks and scientific publications in PDF format with the free and open source PDF editor Scheme. Adding and updating notes, exporting notes as text, and being able to search text directly from the software using Spotlight are some of its most helpful features. Full screen mode is another. When viewing a PDF file, Scheme also allows the use of built-in transitions and the display of highlights.
Since this software was created with academics in mind, it is a solid option if you need to read and annotate scientific publications. However, anyone who needs to read PDFs can benefit from its benefits.
2) Soda PDF
For viewing detailed publications such as online comics, magazines and catalogs, Soda PDF is a great tool. It’s even possible to convert and create a brand new PDF from scratch!
A great tool for organizing your PDFs on Mac is Soda PDF. You can quickly convert files and add annotations, text boxes, sticky notes, hyperlinks and freehand writing using the included software.
Soda PDF creates demand for its online PDF platform and drives sales by offering free PDF tools including document signers, splitters, compressors, and converters on its websites with security features. Increases Instead of downloading a PDF reader, you can use these online applications to free up some space on your computer’s hard disk.
3) Kdan PDF Reader
With this flexible tool for managing PDF files, you can browse, edit, convert and annotate PDF files. The Mac App Store offers a direct download for it. One of the most effective and well-liked PDF management apps for Apple computers is Kdan PDF Reader.
With the addition of text boxes, annotations, hyperlinks, sticky notes, and freehand writing, the program makes converting PDFs easy. To prevent confusion, you can label and color code key documents. Additionally, you can manage all your saved files with the Import History tool.
If you want to do more than just look at your PDFs, Kdan PDF Reader is a great option.
4) Adobe Acrobat Reader
It should come as no surprise that Adobe Acrobat Reader is the best option for Mac and Windows users due to its abundance of features, wide compatibility with other programs, and free nature. It’s great for viewing PDFs, but it’s also powerful enough for editing, printing, and adding comments to PDFs.
This free program allows you to edit, sign, fill out forms, protect PDFs, open and view them, and highlight important information. Anyone who works with PDFs often should have Adobe Reader.
5) PDF Reader Premium
Consider getting PDF Reader Premium if your job requires you to work with PDFs frequently. It is one of the most popular PDF readers for Apple devices, having been downloaded over 50 million times.
You can use it to view your PDFs simultaneously in multiple tabs, add images and sticky notes, tag files, sign form fields within stored PDFs, and sync between different cloud services. Can use to transfer df.
This is a great option if you want to do more than just read your PDFs.
6) Apple Preview
Preview is a good option if you’re looking for a simple PDF reader that comes pre-installed on all Macs. It’s still a solid option for quickly viewing or printing PDFs, though it doesn’t have as many capabilities as the other PDF readers on this list.
With Preview, you can fill out forms, view multiple pages at once, access PDFs, and annotate documents. PDFs can also be made smaller, split into multiple PDFs, or combined into one PDF.
For people who only need one program to open quickly and don’t want extensive capabilities, this is a good option.
6 Best Free PDF Readers For Windows
Here are the top free PDF readers for Windows.
- MuPDF
- SumatraPDF
- Slim PDF
- Microsoft Edge Browser – the Default PDF Reader
- Nitro PDF Reader
- PDF-XChange Editor
- Foxit PDF
1) MuPDF
A PDF, XPS, and EPUB parsing and rendering engine implemented by the free and open-source software framework MuPDF, written in C. Although it can be used for other purposes such as search, table of contents, and hyperlinks, its primary use is for bitmap rendering of pages.
It is a stand-alone application that does not require additional downloads like a PDF reader or web browser. Additionally, it allows you to convert PDF files to HTML, SVG, and CBZ formats.
2) SumatraPDF
If you don’t want sophisticated capabilities like form filling, document signing, and annotations, Sumatra PDF is a great option for reading PDFs. In addition to keyboard shortcuts, Sumatra has many viewing options including book, presentation, and single page views that make it easy to navigate through any PDF file.
It supports reading a wide range of files including PDF, CHM, DjVu, XPS, ePub, MOBI, CBZ, and CBR. Additionally, Sumatra provides a Firefox plugin that enables you to open PDFs directly in a web browser.
3) Slim PDF
Slim PDF is among the smallest PDF readers out there. It requires only 15 MB of PC space. This free PDF reader is compact, yet it packs a lot of powerful capabilities like printing, searching, zooming, and rotating PDF files.
This PDF reader is user-friendly for PC users and has been upgraded with a newly designed user interface and dark mode option. You can use this free program exclusively to read, display and print PDF files.
It doesn’t take up much space on your computer and loads quickly despite its small size and lack of functionality. Additionally, if you’re switching from another PDF reader, you’ll have to get used to navigating because it lacks standard keyboard keys.
4) Microsoft Edge Browser – the Default PDF Reader
If you’re using Windows 10 or later, Microsoft Edge is already your default PDF reader and browser. Since it has a browser and a PDF reader, we think it’s a powerful piece of software. It opens PDF files instantly and with great speed.
Also, the user interface (UI) of the website is highly intuitive. After using it for some time, I can honestly say that I’m quite pleased with it. Yet it is capable of handling all your PDF needs, including reading, printing and signing, despite its limited feature set. It is an easy-to-use PDF reader with useful functions such as bookmarking, zooming and document search pre-installed.
Microsoft Edge’s ability to open PDFs in different tabs makes it easy to switch between them while working on other tabs, which is one of its best features. We would recommend Microsoft Edge to anyone looking for a PDF reader. This is our personal favorite.
5) Nitro Reader
A popular office and productivity tool is Nitro Reader. This free PDF document viewer is our favorite because it strikes the ideal blend between functionality and usability, without overcomplicating it with unnecessary add-ons. Additionally, its beautiful UI is similar to other Microsoft Office programs.
Unlike other PDF readers, NitroReader is unique. It includes QuickSign, a tool that, among other capabilities, allows documents to be signed quickly and easily. Additionally, you can lock down your documents so that only those who have received a digital certificate from you can open them. Thus, go with Nitro Reader if you are looking for a Windows PDF reader that is user-friendly and efficient.
6) PDF-XChange Editor
A smaller and better PDF reader for Windows 10 is called PDF Change Editor. It opens quickly and offers minimal functionality for viewing, printing, annotating images and saving text from PDF files.
Before it was called PDF-XChange Viewer the only editing function offered for free with this software was very limited. The program also includes capabilities like digital signature and OCR. Despite the device’s many helpful functions, some users may find the user interface (UI) overly cluttered due to the plethora of options. Perhaps this issue can be resolved with a future redesign.
More than 60% of the features found in the commercial version of PDF-XChange Editor are also available in the free edition.
7) Foxit PDF
With Foxit Reader, you can create, edit and annotate PDF files in addition to reading them. It also includes Microsoft Office product plug-ins and is compatible with multiple platforms. As such, it’s an extremely useful tool that anyone who works with PDFs on a regular basis should have on hand.
With this program, you can create, check, sign, edit and print PDF files. Although you can use it for free, the premium version has a few more features. Unless you need specific features, the free edition has all the basics.
Was This Helpful To You In Finding The Best Free PDF Reader?
Twelve different free PDF readers were tested. Although each has its own special features, I personally think that the Microsoft Edge browser is the best. Along with Windows 10, it comes pre-installed and has a simple, intuitive user interface.
The best PDF reader for students will depend on their individual needs, as there are many options available. Touch screen support and the ability to annotate PDFs are some of the features that can be helpful for students. Adobe Reader, Foxit Reader, and Nitro Reader are some of the popular PDF readers that have these functions.
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Best Free PDF Reader FAQs
Which PDF Reader is Ideal for Students?
The best PDF reader for students will depend on their individual needs, as there are many options available. Touch screen support and the ability to annotate PDFs are some of the features that can be helpful for students. Adobe Reader, Foxit Reader, and Nitro Reader are some of the popular PDF readers that have these functions.
Which Windows program can open PDF files?
The first step to using Windows 10 to read PDF files is to download a PDF reader. The default software, Microsoft Edge, has limited functionality but can open PDFs. The ideal choice is a reader designed specifically for viewing PDFs. Adobe Acrobat is one of the many free PDF readers that can be downloaded from the Internet.
Exists an editor for PDFs in Microsoft Office?
As part of Office 365, you can edit PDF files using Microsoft Word as a PDF editor. No need to purchase or install any other extensions. Word works as a PDF editor in Office 365, allowing you to edit PDF files.
Which PDF viewer is best for Windows 11?
The most widely used PDF viewer is Adobe Viewer, yet many users complain that it is slow. Foxit Reader is a faster and more feature-rich alternative. There are many alternative PDF readers available, though, and the ideal one for you will depend on your unique needs. Try a few different ones to determine which one you like best.
Is Adobe a more expensive program than Foxit?
Adobe annual plans cost more than Foxit. For example, Foxit PhantomPDF (also known as Foxit PDF Reader) has an annual subscription of $79.99, but Adobe Acrobat Pro has an annual subscription of $179.88 and Adobe Acrobat Standard has an annual subscription of $159.99.
Is Foxit inferior to Adobe?
Compared to Foxit, Adobe Reader has more capabilities, such as the ability to annotate PDF files and fill out PDF forms. Foxit, on the other hand, is a simpler and potentially faster program. If the user needs the ability to view PDFs, Foxit may be a better deal.
Is there a free Adobe Reader alternative?
There are numerous alternatives to Adobe Reader that are free to use. And the best free and open source alternative to Adobe Reader is SumatraPDF. A few other well-liked free alternatives to Adobe Reader are Foxit Reader, SlimPDF, MuPDF, and others.
Foxit Reader: Is It Really Free?
Although you can download and use Foxit PDF Viewer for free, it is a freemium service as some of its functions are restricted behind a paywall. However, the majority of its basic reading functions are free, making it a well-liked alternative to Adobe Reader.
