Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

How to open local PDFs with the new PDF viewer?

  • 4 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 21 views
  • Last reply by Artfunkel

SenorBiggles
SenorBiggles
more options

I'd like to use the new built-in PDF viewer in Firefox 19.0 Beta to view local PDFs from my computer. But when I try to open one with Firefox, instead of opening it with PDF.js, Firefox gives me a dialog asking "What should Firefox do with this file?" There isn't an option in Tools/Options/Applications to use PDF.js by default, so how can I use it for local files?

I'd like to use the new built-in PDF viewer in Firefox 19.0 Beta to view local PDFs from my computer. But when I try to open one with Firefox, instead of opening it with PDF.js, Firefox gives me a dialog asking "What should Firefox do with this file?" There isn't an option in Tools/Options/Applications to use PDF.js by default, so how can I use it for local files?

Chosen solution

I am not on the same OS, but do you not have an option to Preview in Firefox/Beta. You will need to disable any PDF plugins first of all.

If you are able to see web based pdf files ok I see no reason why it will not work on local files as long as you have permissions to access the file path involved.

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (4)

John99
John99
more options

Chosen Solution

I am not on the same OS, but do you not have an option to Preview in Firefox/Beta. You will need to disable any PDF plugins first of all.

If you are able to see web based pdf files ok I see no reason why it will not work on local files as long as you have permissions to access the file path involved.

SenorBiggles
SenorBiggles Question owner
more options

Thanks, disabling Adobe Reader fixed the problem. Hopefully later versions of Firefox will allow the use of PDF.js and Adobe Reader for different file types.

Modified by SenorBiggles

John99
John99
more options

Glad it worked, thanks for posting back.

I am not sure that there are any plans to make firefox emulate all of the Adobe reader features,but there are also other applicatinos available that will read or even edit or create PDF files.

Artfunkel
Artfunkel
more options

Even uninstalling Adobe Reader didn't help me. I had to go to my profile directory and delete mimeTypes.rdf before Firefox stopped trying to download local PDF files.

Modified by Artfunkel