Some documents have the .pdf format extension, unfortunately, in all versions of Windows, with the exception of "Tens", there is no built-in program for reading PDF files. Therefore, to this day, such software remains in demand.
There are a lot of them on the Internet. There are both paid and free programs with different functionality. Which one is right for you? We suggest you figure it out. It is enough to read our article and choose the program that meets your requirements and is suitable in terms of functionality.
Best PDF Readers
Acrobat Reader from Adobe took the first place. Why this particular software? It's simple, this program has huge functionality and is in the greatest demand among users.It has everything you need to work with documents in PDF format. For example, you can copy, view structures, print individual countries, change their orientation. In addition, it is constantly updated and is absolutely free, thanks to which it is installed on a huge number of computers around the world.
The characteristics are as follows:
- You can view, manipulate and annotate 3D document content;
- Scale hotel parts of the PDF file;
- Play m / media content (text, graphic, sound and video files);
- Read e-books;
- Print documents via wireless networks directly from the program interface;
- Organize online video conferences or take part in them;
- Use digital signatures to protect your documents from editing;
- Using the new Start Meeting function, several people can work on one document at once;
- Russian language interface.
Not a bad set, don't you agree? And it's all absolutely free. But there is also a paid version - PRO, there are no restrictions at all. With its help, you can not only view documents in PDF format, but also edit them.
Foxit Reader is a more humble alternative
Acrobat Reader is clearly the leader. However, there are some very interesting alternatives. For example, Foxit Reader.The fact is that the "reader" from Adobe is very cumbersome: large size, increased system requirements. And here the developers have relied on a user-friendly interface and high-speed performance, cutting out all unnecessary functionality.
Main characteristics:
- With this reader you can add comments to the finished document and print it with them;
- Increased security level: Foxit Reader will not connect to the Internet without your permission;
- High-speed performance. As mentioned above, although Acrobat Reader is the most popular, it is rather bulky and can “boot” an old computer quite well, while Foxit will not allow this.
Still not made a choice? Let's continue!
STDU Viewer is the fastest PDF reader
In third place is a modest and well-known program called STDU Viewer. Its size does not even reach three megabytes. Of course, because of this, it was necessary to "shorten" the functionality very much, but, moreover, it copes well with reading PDF documents. In addition, STDU supports other formats as well. For example, .txt, .tiff, .DjVu.
Main characteristics:
- Ability to simultaneously view several pages on one screen;
- You can add your own bookmark while reading and return to it at any time;
- Hyperlinks are supported;
- Reading pages one by one and in the form of a book;
- Convenient search in the text of documents;
- Demonstration of sketches and navigation through the content;
- Instant jump to the selected page.
Isn't that enough for the average user? Such modest functionality can be forgiven due to the size of only a little over two megabytes!
PDF-XChange Viewer is a powerful competitor
PDF-XChange Viewer is a free PDF reader. But unlike STDU Viewer, its functionality does not end there. You won't be able to edit documents, but you can easily supplement them.
For example, if you wish, you can fill out a spreadsheet, save a form, add an annotation or note, increase the size of text or graphics, and much more - even exporting individual PDF pages to images.
Main characteristics:
- Ability to add annotations in the form of stickers and your own comments in any PDF files;
- Custom stamps from any drawings;
- Test notes;
- Print any page;
- Convert pages to image;
- Work with several documents at once - each in its own tab;
- Availability of add-ons for popular browsers;
- Portable version;
- Russian language support.
To choose the right program, you should rely solely on its functionality. If you only need to read documents, then STDU Viewer is enough, and if you are more demanding and you need a professional solution, then the leader in this segment is undoubtedly Acrobat Reader from Adobe.
Hello teapots and teapots. Today we will talk about programs with which you can open PDF files. Surely you have come across such, right? Basically, such files are encountered by people who use literature downloaded on the Internet.
So what exactly is PDF format? PDF format (eng. Portable Document Format) Is an electronic document format that uses the PostScript system. It is this format that makes it possible to provide printed products in electronic form.
As in the case with, the editors of the site use different programs for opening PDF files and, accordingly, considers their program the best, but also appreciated other existing types of programs. Let's consider them the same.
The first and possibly best program on the list is Adobe reader... This is a paid program, but you can find it already hacked on the Internet. We're going to take a look at the free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. In principle, it has all the most necessary functions. Opening files, recognizing them and converting them to Word and Excel format. It can be used both on computers and mobile devices. The interface is clear enough. It is the leader among computer users.
Interface - 5.
Functionality - 9.
Performance - 8.
System requirements - 6.
Quality - 9.
The second program that in our opinion is a good and functional tool for PDF files is Foxit Reader... Analogue of Adobe Reader, but it is free, which is, in fact, its advantage. Also, the plus is that this program is loaded much faster than the "paid" analogue. But, there is one significant drawback - processed text and images are not always of high quality. And so, by its functionality, it rightfully takes 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 multifunctional program. The advantages are its size (less than 1 mb) as well as converting PDF to TXT, BMP, JPG, GIF, PNG, WMF, EMF, EPS files. Has over 60 languages.
Interface - 7.
Functionality - 6.
Performance -7.
System requirements - 7.
Quality - 5.
Well, this can end our rating, but after consulting, we decided to add such a program to this rating 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, high-speed, but, in contrast to 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.
Size: 24139 KB
Price: Free
Russian interface language: yes
Adobe Reader is the most popular PDF reader application. An important factor in the distribution of Adobe Reader is its presence on many discs with drivers, games and other applications. The developer has attached PDF documentation to his product, but standard Windows tools do not allow reading it. You need to add a special program to the disk. Her choice in the vast majority of cases is not original - it's Adobe Reader.
New versions of applications, the development of which began a long time ago, often acquire a mass of secondary functions, the interface becomes more complicated, and the speed of work decreases. And now more progressive and nimble competitors are slowly pushing the old man out of the market. But this has nothing to do with Adobe Reader. On the contrary, the latest versions of the program are much easier to learn than their older brothers. The program is developing, first of all, towards supporting new PDF standards, allowing to display more complex documents using the latest visualization technologies.
The working window of Adobe Reader contains a toolbar with a small number of buttons (nothing superfluous), as well as a small sidebar from which the main service modes of the application are called. There is no status line in its usual sense.
Toolbars are flexible. You can add or remove buttons on them, move them, block changes.
Ease of reading documents is provided by a powerful scaling system. You can show the entire page on the screen, snap its scale horizontally or vertically. The latter option is not found in other applications. In addition, you can bind relative to the page content. The document is shown slightly larger by excluding fields.
Full screen viewing is supported. Unlike some competitors, this mode lives up to its name one hundred percent. There are no controls left on the screen, only the pages of the open document. There is also a second, less radical regime. It hides all panels, except for the window title and the main menu. Again, there is a big saving of free space on the screen.
The program has a powerful search engine. You can search for text not only in the open document, but also in all PDFs within the specified folder. Full word search is supported, case sensitive. You can search not only directly in the text of the document, but also in bookmarks and comments.
Adobe Reader has support for working with forms. With it, you can enter, save and send information. There is support for bar codes. You can customize the rules for automatic form filling. If permissions permit, you can add comments to forms. And, the main thing that distinguishes Adobe Reader from other applications is the ability to check spelling in text input fields.
There is support for document authentication, viewing protection. You can specify trusted persons, certificates. Accessibility Assistant allows you to change the rules for displaying the current document, if its protection does not prohibit such actions. This is necessary, for example, for visually impaired users. Adobe Reader makes it easier for people with disabilities to view and navigate PDF documents. Advanced features include automatic text scrolling, PDF reflow, keyboard-only control, and reading text out loud.
A separate panel allows you to view a list of document comments. You can search them for text. It is possible to sort them by type, status, reviewers. All changes made to the document are monitored by the revision inspector. You can view your own adjustments, history of changes, a list of what needs to be done.
The program contains an RSS news reader. You can subscribe to channels, read them in a separate dialog box. To be honest, it's not entirely clear why the PDF reader also needed an RSS reader. Network functions are not limited to this. You can also organize online conferences using Adobe Reader, as well as carry out joint viewing of documents.
You can work with digital signatures. For this, certificates are used. By configuring directory servers, you can determine the location of certificates, store them.
The latest version of Adobe Reader supports all modern standards used in PDF documents. For this reason, a hardware accelerated 3D viewer is included in the product. A special panel of models allows you to view their list, open, rotate, scale.
The program has a fairly detailed local help system. But the most complete information is provided online, on the official page of the application. It is already in English.
If there are no specific requirements for the application, then Adobe Reader is by far the best choice for reading PDF documents. Support for all standards allows you not to worry about whether any complex file will display correctly. In addition, the program is built into modern browsers, which makes it possible to quickly view online documents downloaded from the Web.
The only point where an alternative application can be at its best is system requirements. Adobe Reader has a fairly large distribution size, takes up quite a lot of RAM space, and runs a little slower than some of its competitors. However, the program was tested on a fairly old machine, and even opening electronic versions of magazines, books with a volume of tens of megabytes did not lead to noticeable slowdowns in Adobe Reader.
Good day!
Magazines, books, scanned documents, forms, drawings and more are now often distributed in PDF format. Whether you like it or not, without special software for working with these formats - and not there, and not here ...
Actually, in this article I have collected some of the most popular products for working with this format. I think that the material will be relevant both for those who have encountered a problem and cannot read a specific PDF file, and for those who are looking for a convenient tool for everyday tasks.
The article will present programs of different directions, functionality, design, and requirements for system resources. I hope everyone will be able to choose a "soft" for the current tasks. And so, more to the point ...
Remark!
For example, formats such as txt, fb2, html, rtf, doc are much more convenient to read in special. readers rather than Word or notepad.Link -
Top 6 PDF viewers
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Opened a page of my site, saved in PDF
One of the most common PDF readers (which is not surprising, because Acrobat Reader is a product from the very developer of this format) .
It has some of the broadest possibilities for reading, printing and editing PDFs. I note that not so long ago this reader was integrated with the "cloud" (Adobe Document Cloud), thanks to which, now it has become much more convenient to work simultaneously on PCs and mobile gadgets!
I must say that Adobe Acrobat Reader has amazing compatibility: some PDF files (especially large ones), which are not displayed correctly in any other readers, are presented here in normal mode.
Therefore, in my opinion, even if you do not use this particular program, it would not be superfluous to have it in reserve ...
Add. capabilities:
- fast conversion of PDF file to Word or Excel formats;
- now it is not necessary to have paper forms - you can fill them out electronically and send them by mail. Adobe Acrobat Reader allows you to do this;
- in addition to the Adobe Document Cloud, you can configure your system so that PDF will be available on popular cloud drives such as: Box, Dropbox and;
- the reader allows you to create annotations and comments for viewed files.
STDU Viewer
Very compact, free and versatile program for reading a variety of formats: PDF, DjVu, XPS, TIFF, TXT, BMP, GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, etc.
I would highlight the key advantages: low demand on PC resources, you can open several documents at once in one window, the sidebar displays content with quick links. Also, a bookmarking system is conveniently built in, which allows you to return to the last read place in one click.
In addition, easy page scaling, page rotation by 90-180 degrees, document printing, gamma and contrast adjustment, etc. are available.
It is possible to convert PDF and DjVu files to text formats. In general, the program deserves attention and acquaintance!
Foxit Reader
Very handy PDF file reader. I would like to immediately note its relatively low system requirements (in relation to the same Adobe Reader), a convenient system of bookmarks, a side menu (with the contents of an open book), a modern interface. In general, the abundance of all kinds of functions and capabilities is amazing (in fact, we can say: a multifunctional program).
Features:
- the program interface is as close as possible to Word, Excel, etc. (which causes an obvious disposition to the product);
- the ability to quickly customize the toolbar (add what you often need and remove what you don't use);
- the program supports a touch screen (in full);
- the ability to create a PDF portfolio;
- filling out PDF (Acroform) and XFA forms (XML form architecture);
- support for all modern versions of Windows 7, 8, 10.
Sumatra PDF
Supported formats: PDF, eBook, XPS, DjVu, CHM.
If you are looking for a very simple, compact and fast PDF viewer, then I'm not afraid to say that Sumatra PDF is the best choice! Both the program itself and the files in it - open as quickly as your system allows.
Features:
- the design is made in the style of minimalism (so popular recently). The main priority functions are: viewing and printing files;
- support for 60 languages \u200b\u200b(including Russian);
- there is a portable version that does not need installation (you can carry it with you on a USB flash drive, and if anything, you can open PDF on any PC);
- unlike its counterparts (including Adobe Acrobat Reader), the program correctly scales pictures in black and white (a very useful thing when reading books);
- correctly reads and recognizes hyperlinks embedded in PDF;
- Sumatra does not block an open PDF file (useful for those who work with TeX systems);
- supported by Windows XP, 7, 8, 10 (32.64 bits).
PDF-XChange Viewer
Multifunctional program for viewing PDF files. I would also note its relatively low system requirements, rich functionality, simple and convenient interface. By the way, the program supports the Russian language.
Features:
- detailed setting of the font, displaying pictures, setting navigation, etc. allows you to comfortably read even large files;
- the ability to view several files at once (including protected ones);
- detailed customization of the viewing area and toolbar;
- the ability to convert PDF documents to image formats: BMP, JPEG, TIFF, PNG, etc .;
- integration with popular translators ABBYY Lingvo and Translate It!
- there are plugins for IE and Firefox browsers;
- the ability to send PDF by e-mail directly from the viewer (very convenient when you have a lot of scanned documents);
- allows you to extract text from PDF, and much more ...
Hamster PDF Reader
Simple, convenient, tasteful! Hamster PDF Reader (preview from the main page of the office. Site)
Hamster PDF Reader is a relatively new program that allows you to view not only PDF, but also such formats as XPS, DjVu. The program interface is made in the style of Office 2016 (similar to Foxit Reader).
The program is not replete with functions, but there is everything that most people need: viewing settings (font, sheet, brightness, full screen mode, etc.), printing, bookmarks, etc.
Another plus: the program does not have to be installed (there is a portable version). Thus, it can be written to a USB flash drive and always have at hand to work with PDF.
In general, an interesting and uncluttered product that allows you to solve the most ordinary tasks.
Additions on the topic are welcome ...
All the best and good reading!
