Portable Document Format (PDF) Help Page

What to do when PDF files do not open correctly...

An Adobe Acrobat product may be unable to display a PDF file inside a compatible web browser window if the Acrobat product can't read the PDF file, if the web browser isn't configured correctly with the Adobe PDF Browser plug-in, or if the web server on which the PDF file is stored can't serve the PDF file. This problem may manifest in a number of ways, including (but not limited to) the following behaviors:

Work through the tasks in this document to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.

1. Configure the web browser to use the Adobe PDF Browser plug-in.

  1. In the Acrobat product, choose Edit > Preferences (Windows) or [Acrobat product]> Preferences (Mac OS).
  2. Select Internet (or General if using Acrobat 5.x).
  3. Select Display PDF In Browser, and then click OK.
  4. Quit the Acrobat product.

2. Make sure that the system meets the requirements.

To determine if your browser is compatible with the Acrobat product, see the system requirements in the ReadMe file that is installed with the Acrobat product. For Acrobat 6.0.x products, see document 314885, "Acrobat PDF-capable web browsers and PDFMaker-compatible applications (Acrobat 6.0)." Acrobat 5.0x and 6.0x products do not support PDF viewing within a web browser on Mac OS X.

3. Install the latest version of the Acrobat product.

The latest version of Acrobat or Adobe Reader may be more compatible with the operating system and drivers. Before you install an update or upgrade, make sure that the system meets the requirements.

Free updates for Acrobat and Adobe Reader are available from the Adobe website at http://adobe.com/support/downloads.  You can purchase upgrades from Adobe Authorized Resellers and from Adobe directly by visiting the Adobe website at http://store.adobe.com/store, or by calling Customer Services at 800-833-6687.

4. Enable Acrobat ActiveX control.  (Windows only)

If you use Internet Explorer on Windows, enable the Acrobat ActiveX control in the security options.

Note: This procedure changes the security options for all ActiveX Controls in Internet Explorer. If you prefer to use stricter security, contact your Network Administrator or Microsoft for information about using the Administrator Approved setting in Internet Explorer's Security panel.

To enable the ActiveX control:

  1. Quit Internet Explorer and the Acrobat product.
  2. Choose Start > Settings > Control Panel and then double-click Internet (or Internet Options).
  3. Click the Security tab in the Internet Properties dialog box.
  4. Choose the appropriate zone for the location hosting the PDF file (for example, Internet or Local Intranet).
  5. Click Custom Level.
  6. In the Security Settings dialog box, select Enable under Run ActiveX Controls And Plug-ins, and then click OK.
  7. Click OK in the Internet Properties dialog box.

5. Try to open a local copy of a PDF file in the Acrobat product.

Determine if the Acrobat product can open the PDF file from the local hard drive rather than from the web:

  1. In the web browser, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the link to the PDF file, and then choose an option from the context menu to save the PDF file to a convenient location on the local hard drive (for example, the desktop).
  2. Start the Acrobat product, choose File > Open, and then try to open the PDF file that you saved in step 1:

If the PDF file opens, complete task 6.

If the Acrobat product displays a blank screen or returns an error when you try to open the PDF file, the PDF file is damaged. For assistance, contact the webmaster of the site from which you downloaded the PDF file.

6. Try to open a local copy of a PDF file in the web browser.

Determine if the web browser can open the PDF file from your local hard drive rather than from the web:

  1. In the web browser, choose File > Open (or Open File).
  2. Choose All Files from the Files Of Type pop-up menu (Windows), or choose All from the Show pop-up menu in the Open dialog box (Mac OS).
  3. Click Browse (Windows) or navigate to the PDF file (Mac OS).
  4. Select the PDF file you saved in step 1 of task 5, and then click Open. If the Acrobat product displays the file, but won't display it on the web, the web server has a problem serving the PDF file. For instructions, see document 328355, "Tips for distributing PDF files on the Web (Acrobat 6.x)," or contact the webmaster of the site from which you downloaded the PDF file.

7. Delete temporary Internet files.

If you use Internet Explorer on Windows, delete the temporary files that Internet Explorer creates.

  1. In Internet Explorer, select Tools > Internet Options.
  2. Click Delete Files in the General tab and then click OK when prompted.

8. Repair the Acrobat product.  (Acrobat 6.0x products only)

To repair the Acrobat product, you must have access to the installation media or to the network path from which you originally installed the product.

  1. Choose Start > Control Panel > Add Or Remove Programs.
  2. Select the Acrobat product, and then click Change/Repair (Windows XP) or Change/Remove (Windows 2000).
  3. In the Setup dialog box, click Next.
  4. Select Repair, and then Click Next.
  5. Click Update.
  6. When the process is complete, click Finish.

9. Deselect the Display PDF In Browser preference.

  1. In the Acrobat product, choose Edit > Preferences (Windows) or [Acrobat product]> Preferences (Mac OS).
  2. Select Internet.
  3. Deselect Display PDF In Browser, and then click OK.
  4. Quit the Acrobat product and try to open the PDF file.

If this does not work, open the Acrobat product and select Display PDF In Browser.