Top 8 Fixes for Microsoft Edge Not Opening PDF Files on Windows

The other day I was trying to open a PDF file in Microsoft Edge for editing. But the file is not opened. Edge repeatedly asked me to download/save the previously downloaded PDF file. If you are having the same problem and wondering how to open PDF files correctly in Microsoft Edge, you are in the right place.

Fortunately with Windows 10, you don’t need a third-party PDF tool. Microsoft Edge can be used as a PDF viewer as well as an Internet browser. But the problem comes when it refuses to open the PDF file.

Let’s see how to fix Microsoft Edge not opening PDF files.

1. Reboot

Before you start messing around with the various settings, you should restart the Edge browser and your computer. First, close and restart the Edge browser. See if you can open PDF files now. If the problem persists, restart your computer.

2. Check for Corrupted PDF File

Try opening the PDF file in a different application. You can use a dedicated PDF viewer like Chrome or Adobe Reader. If the PDF fails to load in these applications, there is a problem with your PDF file. Try it with other PDF files. If the PDF file is fine, check the other solutions mentioned below.

3. Make Edge Default App

If you always want to open PDF files directly in the Edge browser, you should make it your default browser. To do this, right-click any PDF file in File Explorer. Select Open with > Choose another app.

Select Microsoft Edge from the popup that opens. Then check the box next to Always use this app to open PDF files. Click OK. All PDF files should now open in Edge.

In case the above steps don’t work go to Windows Settings > Applications > Default apps. Scroll down and click Choose default apps by file type. Search for PDF and choose Microsoft Edge as default.

4. Turn off Open PDF Externally

If the Edge browser keeps prompting you to save the PDF file, you will need to turn off a setting in Edge as shown below.

Stage 1: Open the Edge browser and click on the three-dot icon in the upper right corner. Select settings.

Step 2: Click Cookies and site permissions.

Stage 3: Scroll down and click PDF documents.

Step 4: Turn off the switch next to ‘Always open PDF files externally’.

step 5: Close the Edge browser and try to open the PDF file.

5. Update Edge

If the problem occurred suddenly, it could be due to a bug in the current version of Edge. You will need to update the Edge browser to fix it. To do this, click on the three dots icon at the top in Edge. Select Help and feedback > About Microsoft Edge.

Your browser will automatically start searching for a suitable update. If an update is available, you will be notified about it. You will see Microsoft Edge is up to date if it has already been updated.

Fly: Check out our detailed guide on how to update Edge browser on PC and mobile.

6. Clear Browser Cache

You should also follow the path of clearing the browser cache to see if it helps in opening PDF files.

For this, follow these steps:

Stage 1: Open Edge Settings.

step 2: Click ‘Privacy, search & services’.

Stage 3: Click the ‘Choose what to clear’ button next to Clear browsing data.

Step 4: Check the box next to Cached images and files. Uncheck the others. Click on clear now. Restart the browser.

Fly: Check out other methods to reset cache in Edge browser.

7. Repair Edge Browser

The next fix is ​​to use the built-in repair tool to fix problems with the browser. To do this, follow these steps:

Stage 1: Open Settings on your Windows 10 computer. You can use the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut to open the settings. Click on Applications.

step 2: Click Apps & features.

Stage 3: Click Microsoft Edge from the list of apps that appear. Then click on Change or Advanced options. Click Repair on the next screen.

8. Reset Edge

Finally, you may have to take the arduous step of resetting the Edge browser. This will reset various settings like search engine, pinned tabs, new tab page and start page. Extensions are disabled as well as clearing temporary data cookies and cache. Important things like favorites, saved passwords and it doesn’t delete history. Find out in detail what happens by resetting the Edge browser.

To Reset Edge, follow these steps:

Stage 1: Launch Edge and open its Settings.

Step 2: Click Reset settings and then Reset settings to default values.

Stage 3: A confirmation popup will appear. Click Reset.

Time to Open PDF

Hopefully one of the fixes will make it easier to open PDF files in Microsoft Edge. In case that is not the case, you should check out the 7 free PDF editor for Windows 10. Alternatively, you can also edit PDF files online.