Note that you cannot repair a damaged PDF itself. However, if you have the source file, you can re-create the PDF using an Adobe product, such as Acrobat or Photoshop Elements.
Most modern web browsers can easily open PDFs. If you’re having trouble opening a specific PDF on a web page, try the suggestion below.
If you have Acrobat Reader DC or Acrobat DC installed on your computer, skip to the next step.
Acrobat Reader DC is the only free PDF viewer that can open and interact with all types of PDF content – including forms and multimedia.
Go to the Adobe Acrobat Reader download page, and then click Install Now. For step-by-step instructions, see Download and install Adobe Acrobat Reader DC for Windows or Mac OS.
After the installation is complete, follow the steps in the next section.
Your system may not be set up to automatically open PDFs from the desktop with Acrobat Reader DC or Acrobat DC. Here's how to set it up:
Choose Adobe Acrobat Reader DC or Adobe Acrobat DC in the list of programs, and then do one of the following:
- (Windows 7 and earlier) Select Always use the selected program to open this kind of file.
- (Windows 8) Select Use this app for all .pdf files.
- (Windows 10) Select Always use this app to open .pdf files.
Windows 10Note:
If you have both Adobe Acrobat DC and Adobe Acrobat Reader DC installed on your computer, choose Adobe Acrobat DC.
Symptom or error | TechNote or solution |
Can't open a password-protected PDF | Opening secured PDFs |
Opening suspicious PDFs: Reader and Acrobat block PDFs that do not conform to certain industry-specific PDF standards, or may contain potentially harmful content. | Be cautious. These PDFs can pose a security risk to your system. Double-check with the source of the doc, such as the person who sent it to you or the website you downloaded it from, to make sure the document is safe to open. |
You get an error message when trying to open a PDF created in InDesign or Illustrator. |