Best Free Pdf Reader For Mac Os

Adobe Acrobat Reader 19.008.20071 - View PDF documents. Download the latest versions of the best Mac apps at safe and trusted MacUpdate Download, install, or update Adobe Acrobat Reader for Mac from MacUpdate. Pdf reader for mac free download - Coolmuster PDF to Word Converter for Mac, Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, Doxillion Free Document and PDF Converter for Mac, and many more programs. That’s not true, and here’s a list of the best PDF editors you can find on Mac. 1/ Mac OS Preview (Free, built-in Mac OS) That seems like a “duh”, but many people don’t know that Preview can edit PDFs because they think it’s just a viewer. Foxit pdf reader free download - Foxit Reader, Foxit Business PDF Reader, Foxit Reader for Windows Mobile, and many more programs. Best Video Software for the Mac How To Run MacOS High Sierra or Another OS on Your Mac Best Graphic Design Software the Mac Stay Safe with Best Free Password Managers for iPhone View All Guides.

  1. Best Free Pdf Reader
  2. Best Free Pdf Readers
  3. Mac Os Pdf Reader
  4. Download Pdf Reader For Mac
  5. Best Free Pdf Reader For Mac Os
  6. Best Pdf Reader For Mac

A PDF reader is any software that will open a PDF file, probably the most recognizable document format in the world. Your downloadable bank statements, the newsletters from school — they're probably all in PDF format.

More and more operating systems, smartphones, and other devices contain built-in abilities to show PDF files. Even so, a dedicated PDF reader often has a number of advantages over the built-in PDF reader you may already have, like viewing options, better search, and a lot more.

Need to edit or change a PDF file, and not just open it for reading? An easy way to do that is to convert it to Word format. If you want to make PDFs use a PDF creation app.

of 10

SumatraPDF

What We Like

  • Open source and lightweight.

  • Available in 69 languages.

What We Don't Like

  • No ability to edit or annotate PDFs.

  • No anti-aliasing, so some fonts look wonky.

SumatraPDF is an easy to use free PDF reader for Windows. While it is easy and simple to work with, it's also open for heavy customization if you so choose.

Different types of viewing modes are available, like Single Page, Facing, Book View, and Presentation. The latter view is great for distraction-free reading.

There are tons of keyboard shortcuts you can use that make it easier to move around a PDF file, which you can refer to in the SumatraPDF Manual.

You can download SumatraPDF in portable form (uses only 6 MB) or install it like a regular program.

PDFlite is another free PDF reader that's based on SumatraPDF. It looks extremely similar and works the same.

of 10

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC

What We Like

  • Handy drag-and-drop feature makes it easy to combine PDFs.

  • Excellent integration with the Adobe Cloud system.

What We Don't Like

  • Accessibility checker identifies problems, but it doesn't tell you how to fix them.

  • The free version is very limited in its features.

Adobe Systems, the creator of the PDF file format, has a free PDF reader called Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.

Tons of feature are included in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. You can take snapshots of text and images, view a PDF in Read Mode for a more concise reading pane, and have Adobe Acrobat Reader DC read text out loud.

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC works with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. The Adobe Acrobat Reader mobile app is also available for Android, Windows Phone, and iOS.

A download manager is used download Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. So while the download manager is really small in size, the actual download for the PDF reader is much larger (possibly around 50 MB).

Best Free Pdf Reader

On the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC download page, you may be asked to install McAfee Security Scan Plus and/or another program alongside Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. You must manually deselect the offer if you don't want it installed as well.

of 10

MuPDF

What We Like

  • Supports XPS and CBZ files as well.

  • Easy to use.

What We Don't Like

  • Interface is a little too bare bones.

  • Zoom feature is less than perfect.

MuPDF is a super-lightweight free PDF reader for Windows and Android.

When you launch MuPDF, you are immediately prompted to choose a PDF file before you even see the program interface. Once you have, there are literally no options to be seen but instead the full program window is dedicated to showing the PDF.

Click the top left program icon on MuPDF's title window, then select About MuPDF to see all the supported shortcut keys you can use to flip through pages, zoom in, and search for text.

When you extract the files from the download, open 'mupdf.exe' to run the program.

of 10

Expert PDF Reader

What We Like

  • Faster than other free options.

  • Intuitive interface.

What We Don't Like

  • Editing features are rather limited.

  • Tries to install other software during set up.

Expert PDF Reader is another free PDF reader for Windows.

You can view bookmarks and a list of pages found in the PDF in an easy to read index on the side of the viewing area.

There are also advanced options like signing and adding text to a PDF.

Visit CNET.com if the official download links aren't working for you.

of 10

Nuance PDF Reader

What We Like

  • Adding videos and images to documents is a breeze.

  • Dictation features makes this app ideal for the visually impaired.

What We Don't Like

  • No mobile version.

  • You can only open one PDF at a time.

Another free PDF reader for Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP is Nuance PDF Reader.

A really valuable search function is included in Nuance PDF Reader. The words you search for show up with a bit of context for easier understanding as to where the search terms are at in the text.

You can also highlight text in Nuance PDF Reader, which is great if you're using a PDF for study notes or a reference document.

of 10

PDF-XChange Editor

What We Like

  • Premium version is reasonably priced for what you get.

  • Adding and placing text is exceptionally easy.

What We Don't Like

  • PDFs created with the free version often include a big ugly watermark.

  • Doesn't automatically detect fields when creating forms.

PDF-XChange Editor is another completely free PDF reader for Windows XP and newer.

The program interface can be a bit nauseating to look at because there are buttons, toolbars, and side panels all over the place. You can easily disable most of these, though, for a much cleaner viewing experience.

In addition to opening a PDF from your own local computer, you can also enter a URL of a PDF file for PDF-XChange Editor to open (the PDF will still be downloaded, but the program does it for you).

PDF-XChange Editor also lets you add notes, record and attach audio, highlight text, attach files, and add a strikethrough to words.

Lots of features are only available in the professional version of PDF-XChange Editor, but they're clearly marked as such and aren't difficult to spot.

of 10

Evince

What We Like

  • Also ideal for reading comic books and power point presentations.

  • Excellent integration with the GNOME desktop environment.

What We Don't Like

  • Scrolling isn't always smooth.

  • The window size cannot be adjusted, and there is no full screen mode.

Evince is another free PDF reader for Windows and Linux operating systems.

The interface isn't cluttered and you can customize the toolbar with any of the included tools, like a search function and different view modes.

Pdf-xchange editorPdf-xchange

Evince also supports auto scroll. This is an awesome feature that lets you adjust your mouse position on the screen so as to scroll through a PDF automatically. You can fine-tune the speed for different reading paces.

of 10

Sorax Reader

What We Like

  • Fast and lightweight.

  • Doesn't even require installation.

What We Don't Like

  • Limited zooming options.

  • Doesn't come with help files.

Sorax is available for Windows as a free PDF reader.

You'll find all the basic features of a PDF reader, like the ability to search through text, copy text out of a PDF, zoom, and change the viewing mode.

Sorax also allows you to send the currently opened PDF to someone over email with the Email toolbar button.

A portable version of Sorax is available from the download page that's just around 8 MB and is available for both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows.

of 10

Javelin PDF Reader

What We Like

  • Mobile version lets you access and manage metadata.

  • Advanced encryption options.

What We Don't Like

  • Occasional clunky performance.

  • The installation process is unnecessarily complicated.

Javelin PDF Reader is just that: a free PDF reader. No extra features like editing or converting litters the program interface.

Everything is super clean and easy to read and understand. The search feature isn't the best to be had, but it works well as is.

Javelin PDF Reader can launch a PDF in full screen to make reading easier, and you can just click the screen to move down the PDF pages.

The download size of Javelin PDF Reader is only 2 MB for Windows. It can also be downloaded for Macs and mobile devices like Androids and iPads.

of 10

Cool PDF Reader

What We Like

  • You can use it to convert PDFs to other formats including TXT, JPG, GIF, and PNG.

  • Command icons tell you what they do when the mouse hovers over them.

What We Don't Like

  • Very limited features compared to the alternatives.

  • The help file isn't very helpful.

At under 4 MB for the portable version, Cool PDF Reader is a free PDF reader for Windows that's light on system resources.

While Cool PDF Reader may not require much disk space, it's not the best PDF reader available. There isn't a search function and scrolling isn't the smoothest.

However, it still works as a free PDF reader if you don't like the others on this list.

Best Free Pdf Readers

You can install Cool PDF Reader to your computer or use the Standalone Package to use it without installing anything.

First released in 1993, Adobe Reader can be found on countless home, school, and businesses computers around the world. This free PDF viewer is available in most major languages, and its comprehensive support for the PDF file format is often used as a reference point for other PDF applications to meet. But just because Adobe Reader is the most widespread PDF viewer on Mac and other operating systems doesn’t necessarily have to mean that it’s also the best.

The goal of this article is to examine what makes Adobe Reader, and more specifically Adobe Reader for Mac, so popular and compare it to select PDF reader for Mac applications to see if it’s really as good as its download and user statistics would suggest.

Best Features of Adobe Reader for Mac

  • Adobe Reader for Mac is a capable PDF viewer that allows you to view, print, and annotate PDF files for free. If you register with Adobe, you can connect Adobe Reader for Mac to Adobe Document Cloud, which is a suite of cloud-based software applications from Adobe Systems that provides PDF-related services, including conversion and document exchange.

For example, EchoSign lets users send, e-sign, track, and file documents online; ExportPDF makes it possible to convert PDF files into editable Word or Excel documents; and Adobe Send is an alternative to email attachments and FTP sites for sending, sharing, and tracking large files. Adobe Document Cloud is fully localized in English, German, French, Japanese, Italian, and Spanish.

  • Apart from the cloud, Adobe Reader for Mac also supports your mobile devices, allowing you to work with PDF files on your iPad or iPhone thanks to the free Adobe Acrobat Reader mobile app. Just like its Adobe Reader for Mac, the mobile app supports Adobe Document Cloud, annotating, digital signatures, text editing, and more.
  • Wanting to take the mobile PDF experience to the next level, Adobe also released the Adobe Scan and Fill & Sign mobile apps. Adobe Scan quickly scans any documents and turns them into versatile Adobe PDFs, while the Fill & Sign mobile app lets you fill, sign, and send any form electronically from any mobile device.
  • Adobe Reader for Mac can also convert PDF files to Word documents with a single click. This is particularly useful in the business world, where documents are often shared as PDF files for compatibility reasons, only to be edited multiple times as they are passed around.
  • Another feature aimed at businesses and institutional users is the possibility to extend Adobe Reader for Mac using the free Acrobat SDK. This set of tools contains header files, type libraries, simple utilities, sample code, and documentation, and it helps software developers interact with Acrobat technology, allowing for inter-application communication and the creation of plugins and scripts.

Mac Os Pdf Reader

As you can see, Adobe Reader for Mac is a highly capable PDF viewer, so it might surprise you to learn that it’s not even the most capable PDF application developed by Adobe, that would have to be Adobe Acrobat DC.

Steps on How to Download Adobe Reader for Mac

To download the free Adobe PDF reader for Mac, head to Adobe’s official website and follow our instructions:

  1. Select the “PDF & E-signatures” option from the menu at the top of the website.
  2. A pop-up menu will appear. Select “Reader DC” under Featured Products.
  3. Click on “Download now”.
  4. The download page should automatically suggest you Adobe Reader for Mac. If it doesn’t, click on “Do you have a different language or operating system?” and select the right version for your operating system.
  5. Pay special attention to the middle column, titled Optional offers. Unless you uncheck both offers, Adobe Reader for Mac will automatically install McAfee Security Scan Plus utility and McAfee Safe Connect.
  6. Click on “Install now” to download the Adobe Reader for Mac installer.
  7. Install Adobe Reader for Mac as you would any other Mac application.

Top Alternatives to Adobe Reader for Mac

Adobe Reader for Mac is often the only PDF application people know about, but there are actually many excellent alternatives, most free and some with more features than Adobe Reader for Mac.

1. Foxit Reader

Foxit Reader is a lightweight and fast PDF solution with a familiar user interface and plenty of features. Going being PDF viewing, Foxit Reader features ConnectedPDF, cutting-edge technology that powers document intelligence, security, and collaboration services for PDF files.

With ConnectedPDF, users can grant and revoke access to the document, grant specific readers with specific document access rights, track document usage, view all versions of the document in an intuitive document version tree, and share content quickly, easily, and securely by generating a file link and sending it via email or to social media, among many other things.

Because Foxit Reader utilizes a familiar ribbon toolbar, learning about its capabilities and accessing all of its features is effortless. PDF compatibility isn’t a problem with Foxit Reader. You can leverage existing forms and workflow with standard PDF (Acroforms) and XFA (XML Form Architecture) form filling, and open any PDF file without being greeted with an indecipherable mess of letters and numbers.

2. Okular

Okular is a universal document viewer developed by KDE, an international free software community that develops free and open source software. Apart from Mac, Okular also runs on Linux, Windows, and *BSD. It supports PDF, Postscript, DjVu, CHM, XPS, ePub, and several other document file formats. Okular is a suitable Adobe Reader Mac alternative for those who only want to open PDF files and aren’t concerned with their editing.

To use Okular on Mac, you first need to install KDE. You can learn how to do so on this page. We recommend using Homebrew, a package manager for macOS.

3. Skim

Download Pdf Reader For Mac

Skim is a compact yet capable PDF reader and note-taker for macOS. It was designed to help Mac users read scientific papers in PDF, but you can, of course, use it to open and read any PDF file you want. Its features include text highlighting, making snapshots for easy reference, navigating using the table of contents or thumbnails, convenient reading in full screen, magnification, smart cropping tools, Spotlight support, and more.

Bonus: Disk Drill

None of the PDF applications we’ve mentioned so far support one critical feature: PDF recovery. To recover your lost or deleted PDF files, you need to install a dedicated data recovery application, and Disk Drill for Mac is easy to recommend. Unlike many other data recovery applications, Disk Drill is extremely easy to use, featuring a signature one-click data recovery process that makes data recovery absolutely effortless. Apart from its ease of use, Disk Drill also stands out with its support for over 200 file formats and most storage devices.

Data recovery for free
Your Companion for Deleted Files Recovery

Adobe Acrobat Reader for Mac Versus Adobe Acrobat DC

Adobe Acrobat DC is a complete PDF viewing and editing solution packed with best-in-class tools to satisfy all PDF needs. Whereas Adobe Acrobat Reader for Mac is aimed chiefly at the consumers of PDF files, Adobe Acrobat is aimed at the authors of PDF files.

You can use it to easily scan and transform any document into an editable PDF file, compile multiple PDFs into a single one, or convert files into rich PDFs in a single click. Let’s say your boss sends you a year old white-paper that she would like to be updated. Instead of having to recreate the whole thing from scratch, you can simply open it in Adobe Acrobat DC and individually edit each element of the document.

Versions

Adobe Acrobat DC is available in two versions: Pro and Standard. Compared to the Standard version, the Pro version adds one-click creation of rich PDFs from the Acrobat ribbon in Word, the option to add or edit text in a PDF on your iPad, the ability to scan paper to PDFs you can edit instantly with fonts that match the original and compare two versions of a PDF using an easy-to-scan results summary of all differences, and it also supports the creation and validation of PDFs based on WCAG 2.0 and PDF/UA accessibility standards.

Best Free Pdf Reader For Mac Os

Price

As you might expect, Adobe Acrobat DC, both Pro and Standard, isn’t free. Individuals can purchase Acrobat Pro DC for €18.14 if they pay annually or for €30.24 if they pay monthly. Adobe Acrobat Standard DC costs €15.72 a month when paid annually or €27.82 when paid monthly. Adobe also sells Acrobat DC for teams and enterprises with several extra features, including advanced 24/7 tech support.

Best Pdf Reader For Mac

Just by reading what features Adobe Acrobat DC brings to the table, it should be obvious to you whether you need it or not. Generally, everyone who works with PDFs on a regular basis should consider upgrading to Adobe Acrobat DC from Adobe Acrobat Reader Mac.