Lightweight pdf reader.  Best Free PDF Readers (Readers)

Adobe Acrobat Reader - a program from the developer of the PDF format

The leader among programs for viewing PDF documents is a program from the developer of this format - Adobe Acrobat reader.

The reasons for this are numerous.

First, Nobody knows this format better than Adobe. It is for this reason that no one can keep up with Adobe and create a reader capable of working with all possible versions of this format. If you use any of the alternative programs, then sooner or later you will come across a document that will be displayed only partially, or not displayed at all.

Why use a program whose reliability is worth doubting?

It is much easier to initially use a reliable product, and besides, it is free.

It is also worth mentioning that the Adobe program is available on all popular modern operating systems.

Foxit Reader - a program with big pluses and even bigger minuses

Since version 4.0 this program has become free. More precisely, she had a free offshoot.

Foxit Reader is quite small in size and also works quite fast. But, I stopped using it after 10 documents from different manufacturers he could not open. And those that opened were with mangled images.

After that, all the "bells and whistles" (bookmarks, checking for viruses, etc.) cease to play at least some role.

Although if you only come across PDF with bare text, then maybe it will suit you.

PDF-XChange Viewer - almost as good as Adobe Acrobat Reader

PDF-XChange Viewer allows you to do more than just view PDF documents. This program has received recognition from many eminent publications and the main reason for this is the possibility of not only viewing, but also some editing functions of documents. In particular, PDF-XChange Viewer allows you to work with PDF forms and save documents with completed forms. It allows you to export documents to regular image formats.

It is also worth noting that the quality of processing documents and images inside documents in this program is much better than in Foxit Reader. But it works at a speed comparable to Adobe Reader, and besides, it also has a rather small volume.

Cool PDF reader is a one megabyte viewer…

… even less.

Enough interesting program, which copes well with the task of displaying PDF documents, but it has a very unpleasant feature - Cool PDF reader cannot do smooth scrolling of documents, and rendering, that is, preparing the display of a document, takes the most time of all the programs described in this article.

At the same time, this program can even export documents to various image formats.

Hello teapots and teapots. Today we will talk about programs with which you can open PDF files. You must have experienced this, right? Basically, such files are encountered by people who use literature downloaded from the Internet.

So, what is PDF format? PDF format(English) Portable Document Format) is an electronic document format that uses the PostScript system. It is this format that allows you to provide printing products in in electronic format.

As in the case with, the editors of the site use different programs to open PDF files and, accordingly, considers his program the best, but also appreciated other existing species programs. Let's take a look at them.

The first and possibly the best program on the list is Adobe Reader. it paid program, but it can be found on the Internet already hacked. We will consider the free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. In principle, it has all the most necessary functions. Opening files, their recognition and conversion to Word and Excel format. It can be used on both computers and mobile devices. The interface is clear enough. Is the leader among computer users.

Interface - 5.
Functionality - 9.
Performance - 8.
System requirements - 6.
Quality - 9.

The second program, which in our opinion is a good and functional tool for PDF files, is Foxit Reader. An analogue of Adobe Reader, but it is free, which, in fact, is its advantage. It is also a plus that this program loads much faster than the “paid” counterpart. But, there is one significant disadvantage - the processed text and images are not always of high quality. And so, in terms of its functionality, it rightfully occupies the second place in our rating.

Interface - 6.
Functionality - 8.
Performance - 9.
System requirements - 8.
Quality - 5.

In third place, a less functional program - STDU Viewer . In principle, it is only suitable for opening PDF files. But, unlike other programs, it opens most of the other formats - PDF, DjVu, TXT, TCR, TIFF, Comic Book Archive (CBR or CBZ), XPS, JBIG2. Therefore, we give her the "bronze".

Interface - 7.
Functionality - 6.
Performance -8.
System requirements - 7.
Quality - 6.

Fourth place - Cool PDF Reader. Free, very versatile program. The advantages are its size (less than 1 mb) as well as conversion PDF format to TXT, BMP, JPG, GIF, PNG, WMF, EMF, EPS format files. Has over 60 languages.

Interface - 7.
Functionality - 6.
Performance -7.
System requirements - 7.
Quality - 5.

Well, this is where our rating can end, but after consulting, we decided to include in this rating such a program as Sumatra PDF. An elementary program to open PDF files. Its plus is that it is made in the style of "minimalism". The simplest design, fast, but, unlike the above, is less functional.

Interface - 8.
Functionality - 4.
Performance -6.
System requirements - 7.
Quality - 5.

Also, there are many other programs for opening PDF files, but they are all similar and have the same functions.

When you need to open a PDF file, you usually have two options: use standard application for the Windows 8 or 10 operating system (usually installed by default with the operating system, or available for download in the Windows Store), or use the good old Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Both options are great, but there are many other free PDF readers out there that can do even more. Whether you want to merge documents, convert them to different formats or extract images, in our review we will talk about other PDF readers that will do it quickly and easily.

After installation, each application will prompt you to use the default PDF reader. We recommend that you do not change your settings until you try something new. software and make sure it's right for you. If you are satisfied with the result of the application, then in order to set the default PDF reader, you should right-click on the file once, and then select "Open with". Select the .exe file of your new application, check the "Always use this application to open .pdf files" box, and click OK.

Foxit Reader is more flexible and powerful than the built-in Windows PDF reader. Once you install it, you will no longer want to return everything back.

A clean interface and many tools you could wish for in a PDF reader.

Foxit Reader - maybe best program among the well-known alternatives to Adobe Reader. It is quite obvious why Foxit Reader is considered the best free application to read PDF files.

The interface in the form of "Ribbon" is borrowed from Microsoft Office, so you can trust your intuition to easily guess where to find the tools you need. Tabbed document viewing makes it easy to work on multiple PDFs at the same time. There are also great features such as form filling and PDF comments.

Because of its ubiquity, the PDF format is a frequent target for virus and other malware developers, so Foxit Reader offers a Safe Browsing mode that allows you to control clicking on links and executing Javascript functions.

Program extensions that can be downloaded and installed additionally allow you to convert PDF files to other formats (and vice versa), as well as combine different PDF files into one. Format conversion is easily accessible due to the fact that the function is built into context menu Windows Explorer.

Power and versatility make Foxit Reader the best open-source PDF reader available. Try it now, you won't be disappointed.

Nitro PDF Reader does not come close in functionality to Foxit Reader, but text highlighting and the ability to leave comments are very convenient features.

An excellent PDF program that supports change tracking and sticky notes.

Just like the Foxit Reader app, Nitro PDF Reader's interface resembles that of Microsoft Office software - but that's not bad at all. Initially, the program looks like advanced software that allows you to perform many functions when viewing documents.

But this free reader offers more than just document viewing. In addition to adding text highlights, notes, and comments, Nitro PDF Reader lets you add sticky notes to the documents you're working on.

Nitro PDF Reader lets you convert documents to PDF and vice versa. You can also extract all images from a PDF file with one click, as well as sign an electronic document with your own electronic signature. Without a doubt, Nitro PDF Reader is one of the best free PDF readers out there.

Few free PDF programs allow you to not only read, but also edit files. PDF-XChange Editor is just one of them.

A classic free PDF reader, fully adapted to the Windows 10 operating system.

The free version of PDF-XChange Editor offers available features such as comments, and the ability to add or extract pages (however, this feature is only available in paid version Pro).

The key and distinctive feature of the free version of PDF-XChange Editor is the OCR function. You have the option to scan a printed document, save it in one of the available formats, and convert the result to PDF.

During installation, we recommend choosing a "Custom" installation rather than "Full" and then selecting the components you don't want to install. They are presented as a tree, so you need to click on the "+" button to display all the components of the installation.

If you don't work with PDF very often, you can ignore the lack of features like text highlighting or leaving comments. SlimPDF Reader does not abound with an arsenal of options, but it contains all the necessary tools for comfortable reading.

Protozoa free PDF reader, which does not take up much space on your disk.

SlimPDF Reader is perhaps the lightest program that takes only 1.43MB free space, whose main merit is considered to be simplicity.

SlimPDF Reader is really nothing more than a document viewer, but that's not a downside. The control buttons and navigation are easy to use and require no further explanation. One of the main advantages of the program can be called lightning speed.

Search, Print and Rotate are some of the few features of SlimPDF Reader, but you also get a free trial version Converter from PDF to Office formats.

If you're looking for a free no-frills PDF reader, SlimPDF Reader is the one for you. perfect choice. The only drawback of the program is the inability to view a spread of two pages on the screen.

If you want to read PDF documents in two-page format, Icecream Ebook Reader is a great choice.

Icecream Ebook Reader is great not only for formats that e-readers support, but also for reading PDF format.

As the name suggests, Icecream Ebook Reader was originally designed to read EPUB and MOBI documents, however this application great for viewing PDFs.

Since the program is used as a reader for e-books, you have the ability to organize your books as a library and sort by searchable type, but there's nothing to stop you from using the app to view your normal PDF files.

The program has an unusual, but still quite pleasant to use interface. Navigating PDF files is striking in its simplicity, there is a choice of viewing modes, including harmless to the eyes night mode. You can quickly add bookmarks and create notes, accessible from the Content drop-down panel.

PDF has become one of the most popular formats for distributing documentation, typographic layouts, and even books. This is explained by two factors. First, a PDF file, unlike a regular text file, cannot be modified by the recipient. This is important, for example, for documentation. Secondly, the recipient of the file can easily open it with the public and free Adobe Reader. And at the same time, neither font installation nor adjustment of any intervals and indents is required - constant companions when opening a complex document prepared by someone in Word. Today, Adobe's PDF viewer is not the only tool. We will talk about several products that will allow you to create or view a PDF file.

How to create PDF

In all modern office suites, whether paid Microsoft Office or the free Libre Office, PDF format is supported. This is what the "Save As..." dialog looks like in Word.

And for the rest of the programs, the applications that I will describe in this article create virtual printer, and printing to PDF is done as a normal printing option. It's just that instead of a physical printer, you choose "print to PDF". Here is what such a printer looks like in Foxit Reader.

If you have a text file and want to get a PDF from it, then install office suite for the sake of this you do not want to, then you can do it from online services Google Drive or Office Live. Both are free.

How to read PDF

regular browser

Almost all modern browsers can view PDF format. It just turns out badly for them. Those who have tried to view some really complex PDF through them will understand what I mean.

In browsers, document scaling is not so convenient, sometimes this leads to incorrect display of content. Plus, the table of contents navigation is not very convenient. The functionality for viewing PDF files ends only with the viewing function itself, which is somewhat reminiscent of the mode preview when printing.

Foxit Reader

Download Foxit Reader 6.1.5.0624 ENG

Foxit Reader is much better with both PDF display and functionality. This is perhaps the most popular after Adobe Reader, and the most convenient "reader" of PDF files. It is smaller than Adobe Reader and works faster.

Foxit Reader has a convenient fragment search that works only in those files where their manufacturer has allowed text to be left. There is also a version of a PDF file that is closed from searching and extracting text, which can only be converted into text by an automatic recognizer, like FineReader.

Those who have met this program for a long time will be very surprised by its new appearance. In appearance, Foxit Reader is very close to Microsoft Office! It is difficult to list all the operations that it allows you to do with PDF files - there are a lot of them.

You can mark chunks of text with a marker, take notes on individual words and paragraphs, write text directly on top of a PDF file.

Cool PDF Reader

Download Cool PDF Reader

Perhaps the interface of Foxit Reader will seem too fancy and complicated to you. Then you better pay attention to Cool PDF Reader. He is the leader in the minimum size of the program. Its size is a little over one megabyte, but this does not prevent this program from doing its job of viewing PDF files and searching through text well.

In addition, the program can convert PDF to a series graphic formats(GIF, BMP, PNG, WMF, JPG, EMF, EPS) and text (TXT). Cool PDF Reader can also remove graphics from a PDF file for easier viewing. But this is a paid feature.

View PDF in Windows 8

And finally, I’ll tell you about PDF support in the operating Windows system 8. In it, a regular application called "Reader", made in a "modern" full-screen interface, is responsible for the function of viewing files of this format.

There are no special settings, and the possibilities are minimal, although search by fragment is implemented. At the same time, a very good and useful search results window has been made.

If you have downloaded books, reports or other text documents from the Internet, then you must have come across files that have pdf extension. Once in this situation, users often do not know how to open a PDF file. As a rule, programs for working with PDF are simply installed on the computer, which confuses many. In this article, we will briefly review a number of popular programs that allow you to open PDF files.

One of the most popular programs, of course, is Adobe (Acrobat) Reader. This software is developed by Adobe. Adobe Reader provides the user with a complete set of basic reading and viewing functions PDF Documents. If this is your first time encountering this type of document and you don't know how to open a PDF file, then Adobe Reader is the perfect choice for you.

In addition to Adobe Reader, Adobe produces software for creating PDF documents. This is Adobe Acrobat. This program is paid and is available in two versions Acrobat Standard and Acrobat Pro.

Screenshot of Adobe (Acrobat) Reader:

You can learn more about the Adobe Reader program from the official website.

Another pretty popular program to work with PDF documents. Foxit Reader has gained its popularity due to its simplicity and low system resource requirements. Foxit Reader can be used without problems even on the most weak computers. For a long time this program was distributed without an installer, just as EXE file ready to go.

At the same time, the Foxit Reader program is almost in no way inferior to Adobe Reader. It has all the necessary functions for full-fledged work with PDF files. When people ask me how to open a pdf file, I recommend this particular program.

It should be noted that Foxit Reader is a cross-platform solution. Now there are versions of this program for such Operating Systems how: Microsoft Windows, Windows Mobile, Linux, iOS, Android and Symbian.

Screenshot of Foxit Reader:

To learn more about this software, please visit the official website.

Another easy and quick program for reading pdf documents. In addition to simply reading pdf documents, Cool PDF Reader is equipped with a number of other features that distinguish it from its competitors.

Let's take a closer look at the main features of Cool PDF Reader:

• View and print PDF documents;
• Convert PDF documents to such formats as: TXT, BMP, JPG, GIF, PNG, WMF, EMF and EPS;
• Extract text from PDF format to TXT;
• Support for all PDF versions format;
• Support for 68 different languages;
• View PDF files as a slide show;

At the same time, the program has a size of only 808 kilobytes and is not very demanding on computer resources.

Screenshot of Cool PDF Reader:

You can learn more about the Cool PDF Reader program on the official website.

Sumatra PDF is an open source program. source code. In addition to PDF files, it can also work with ePub, XPS, MOBI, CHM, DjVu, CBZ and CBR files. This program is available both as an installer and in a portable version.

Other features of the Sumatra PDF program include:

• Simple and intuitive interface;
• Support for more than 60 languages;
• Correct smoothing of images when scaling a document;
• Regular updates;

Screenshot of Sumatra PDF:

You can learn more about the program on the official website.

STDU Viewer is universal program to view electronic documents. STDU Viewer supports a large number of formats and is equipped with all the necessary functions to work with them. By setting this program, you will no longer have questions about how to open a PDF file, or a document in another format. STDU Viewer will solve all your problems.

Let's take a closer look at the main features. STDU programs viewer:

• Document Viewer: PDF, Comic Book Archive (CBR or CBZ), DjVu, FB2, XPS, TCR, ePub, Multipage TIFF, TXT, EMF, WMF, PalmDoc, BMP, JPG, JPEG, GIF, PNG, PCX, DCX , PSD, MOBI and AZW;
• Simple and intuitive interface with tab support;
• The ability to adjust the display settings of the document (brightness, contrast, etc.);
• View page thumbnails;
• Create custom bookmarks;
• For text documents, the user can control the size and color of fonts;
• Powerful search in text documents;
• Support for several languages, including Russian;
• Possibility to print documents;

STDU Viewer is a rather young program. The first version of STDU Viewer appeared in 2007. Then the program supported only three formats: PDF, DjVu and TIFF. As you can see, the program has come a long way during its development and now allows you to open a large number of different formats.

Screenshot of STDU Viewer:

You can learn more about this program on the official website.

A few words about the PFD format

PDF or Portable Document Format is one of the most common electronic document formats. This format was developed by Adobe Systems. The first version of the format appeared back in 1993. After that, the format actively developed. Almost every year it added support for new features. So, during the development of the Portable Document Format, such features were added as: password protection, Unicode support, interactive elements, links, digital signatures, transparency, text layers, forms, encryption, and much more.

The main purpose of PDF is the publication of printing products in electronic form. Most professional printing equipment supports the format, and can print such documents without additional processing or conversion.

At the beginning of its journey, the PDF format was not very popular. And there were objective reasons for this:

• The necessary software to work with the format was paid;
• The format did not support external links, which did not allow it to be fully used on the World Wide Web;
• PDF files weighed significantly more than regular text documents. It also created barriers to its use on the Internet;
• Document processing in this format required significant system resources, which led to slow display of the document on weak computers:
• In addition, there were other formats that created competition.

Now, none of these issues are relevant to the PDF format anymore. Adobe released free version programs for viewing PDF files, programs from other manufacturers also appeared.

For more than 10 years of existence, the format has come a long way of development and this moment is a very powerful and flexible document creation tool.