A suitable office software must be able to help you do your work comfortably. But there are lots of document viewer software out there and it’s hard to decide which one is the best. You won’t have to worry about this question after reading this article. I will provide you with the most suitable information. You’ll also find another thing, for free.
Are you curious about document viewer programs? Maybe you have been searching for the ideal document viewer for your windows computer. The best document reader program should be able to open and display most common types of files as well as PDF files. The very best file format reader app may also allow you to import certain types of files from your device, using a card or USB drive. There are many possible software choices for handling your documents, but I have compiled a list of top-rated file viewers for windows.
The best document viewer for pc is a program that allows you to read PDF documents, as well as interactive files. You can find the best file reader on our site that supports 64-bit systems and has advanced features.
The Best Document Viewer Program is designed to read a variety of file formats and internet files. There are several types of documents supported by this program, including excel spreadsheet, word processor document, text documents, html files, pdf and much more. The program makes it easy to open each type of document by providing quick access buttons that will allow you to click on them and immediately view content.
What is a PDF reader?
A PDF reader is a program used to open, view, and print PDF (Portable Document Format) files. First introduced in the 1990s, PDF files are an excellent way to distribute documents containing text, images, and various other media types.
Many modern browsers can read PDF files, but the best free PDF readers still have their place. These dedicated programs give users more ways to interact with the file and offer greater control over how the document appears on the screen.
PDF files were designed to appear and function the same on any piece of hardware, so you’ll find PDF readers for Android and other mobile devices too.
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
If you’re looking for a powerful program to read PDF files, I’d like to recommend Adobe Acrobat Reader. It’s not uncommon to come across a PDF file that demands an advanced PDF reader. Here, I’m talking about the fillable forms that you can’t take care of using a basic PDF reader software for Windows.
Adobe Reader for Windows provides different reading modes, text highlighting, adding notes, filling forms, digital signatures, add stamps, etc. Adobe’s free PDF reader for Windows also supports a tabbed view, which means that you can open multiple PDF files simultaneously.
So, if your needs aren’t simple, you don’t want to just “read” PDF files, and you need advanced features, downloading Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is the right choice. It’s also the best PDF reader for large files that some lightweight programs are unable to process fully.
| Pros | Cons |
| + Can convert and edit PDF files + Offers advanced editing and signing tools + Offers multi-platform support | – Pro version with extra functionality is paid – Minor app glitches |
Supported Platforms: Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 7, XP
SumatraPDF
SumatraPDF is an open-source and lightweight PDF reader software that you can install and use on your Windows computer. Licensed under GPLv3 license, SumatraPDF supports formats other than PDF as well, including the likes of EPUB, MOBI, FB2, CHM, XPS, and DjVu.
As I mentioned above, this free and best PDF reader is very light, and its 64-bit installer is just about 5MB in size. So, if you’re looking for a good PDF reader software that can deliver a fantastic reading experience with fast performance and essential features, SumatraPDF is the right PDF reader for you. But, it lacks advanced features like annotations, document signing, and form-filling.
It supports various keyboard shortcuts to help you navigate quickly and improve your reading experience. Sumatra also comes with easy previewing of LaTeX documents, and you can configure different text editors to integrate Sumatra. The free PDF viewer also supports running in restricted mode.
| Pros | Cons |
| + Offers support for various file formats including ePub + It’s a lightweight app | – No editing tools – No support for any advanced features |
Supported platforms: Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 7, XP
Expert PDF Reader
Another free to use the software you can find is the Expert PDF Reader which is developed by Visagesoft. In terms of look and feel, it will give you the feels of old MS Office apps. But the fact that it’s great at doing its job makes Expert PDF Reader an option worth considering.
Speaking of features, this Windows PDF reader can handle almost any document you throw at it. Also, you can modify annotations, add rubber stamps, etc. in existing files even if they’re created using other software.
Furthermore, you can bookmark files, view page thumbnails, and use the tabs feature open to multiple PDF files at the same time with this free PDF viewer.
| Pros | Cons |
| + Supports various file formats + Handles large files efficiently | – Lacks advanced tools and features – Not convenient for advanced users |
Supported Platforms: Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 7
PDF Xchange
PDF-XChange Editor is a free PDF reader tool that offers buttons, toolbars, and side panels to edit PDFs with ease. It is one of the fastest PDF readers that allows you to disable unnecessary stuff for a cleaner viewing experience.
Pros:
- Adding and placing text is exceptionally easy.
- Well-organized and user-friendly interface.
- It is one of the best PDF reader software that helps you edit PDF files by attaching notes.
- This free PDF software offers additional functionality for the creation and editing of fillable forms.
- Supports adding comments before sharing files.
- It is the best portable PDF reader for Windows.
Cons:
- Watermark on the output.
Supported platforms: Windows XP, 7, 8, and 10.
Foxit Reader
Foxit Reader is an easy-to-read PDF reader tool that allows you to view, annotate, form-fill, and sign PDFs across desktop, mobile, and web. It enables you to grant access for collaborating with your friends and colleagues on the same PDF document. You can keep track of people who opened the doc, edit it, and view all their activities in real-time.
Pros:
- This free PDF software allows you to read PDFs anywhere.
- You can leverage existing forms and workflows with standard PDF and XFA form filling.
- Helps you to customize mass deployments and the setup customization tool for installer configuration.
- You can integrate it with leading cloud storage services and popular enterprise CMS.
Cons:
- Only available for Windows; the macOS version requires purchase after a free trial.
- No Linux version.
Supported platforms: Windows XP, 7, 8, and 10.
ABBYY FineReader
ABBYY FineReader PDF is a PDF reader for Windows that allows you to share and collaborate with different documents in the same workflow. This free PDF software also helps you to streamline document conversion.
Pros:
- Allows you to scan and convert paper documents to Word, Excel, or PDF.
- It optimizes document processes.
- You can standardize software assets.
- Helps you digitize the document workflow.
- It allows you to find out changes between various versions of the documents.
Cons:
- It lacks full-text indexing, which is necessary for fast searches.
Supported platforms: Windows 8.1, 10.
Slim PDF
Slim PDF is an incredibly lightweight desktop PDF reader available for Mac, Linux and Windows. Its download size is only 1.43MB, so it runs really fast regardless of which version of Windows you work on. It can be the right choice if your hard drive space is limited.
It offers standard features like viewing, rotating, text searching, but tools to sign or comment are not available. Note that SlimPDF doesn’t support all the popular keyboard shortcuts.
Google Drive
Google Drive is a good option if you only need to view PDF or convert documents into PDF. The platform allows you to convert and upload PDF for viewing.
Nitro Reader
Nitro Reader is a free PDF reader, famous for its balance between excellent features and usability. With its clean interface, it provides only what you need in a PDF reader. You can view, create, review, share and secure PDF files. The creation of new PDF files is easy: you can simply drag and drop the file into the reader. There you can change orientation or change the colors of your new PDF.
Regarding the security aspect, it works with digital certification. Only those who received a digital certificate from you can open your files if you apply that option. It also features its own digital signature to allow you to sign documents.
Javelin PDF Reader
Javelin PDF Reader is a simple program that allows you to read and annotate PDF. Its main advantages are speed and simplicity. With a download size as small as 2 MB, it works really fast, and since it doesn’t offer the editing feature, its interface is clean and easy to understand. You can choose between several screen-viewer functions like side by side, full or continuous. Javelin allows you to read DRM-secured files, which are files requiring decryption keys to open.
PDF-XChange Editor
PDF-XChange Editor is a free PDF reader. Its main feature is the Optical Character Recognition tool that can scan printed documents and convert them into searchable documents. It offers all the standard options like creating, viewing, adding signatures or notes. You can record and attach audio or attach files.
Expert PDF Reader
Expert PDF Reader is a free PDF reader for Windows. It allows you to read and download PDFs but also highlight the text or add notes. There is also a function to create a text box or custom stamps.
One of its most significant advantages is the OCR function (Optical Character Recognition) that allows users to scan complicated images quickly. Regarding security options, the software provides a signature feature.
SumatraPDF
SumatraPDF is a basic and intuitive PDF reader. Even if it doesn’t allow you to sign documents or fill in forms, it provides an excellent fast reading experience. It offers several viewing modes like ‘book’ or ‘single page.’
Your Web Browser
Web browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari all have integrated PDF readers. To view a PDF on your browser, all you have to do is click on the PDF link. You can also open PDF files that are already stored on your computer by dragging them to an open tab in your browser.
Additional features included in most browsers’ PDF readers are rotate, download, print, and adjust text size. If you don’t need to convert files into PDFs and you only need to view PDFs, you don’t need to download a PDF reader. You can just use your web browser.
How to choose the best free PDF reader for you
When deciding which of the PDF readers to download and use, first consider which parts of your PDF file you need to change. If you’re just trying to add information to a form digitally, you’ll only need a basic editor that supports text insertion.
However, if you need to change the content of a PDF substantially, you’ll require a more powerful PDF software program that can make modifications to text or images already stored in the file. In some cases, especially if you want to change almost all the content of your file, it may be better to use a fully functioning PDF Editor or even a PDF to Word converter instead.
Conclusion
Document Reader is an application that allows you to open many different types of documents (with more being added all the time) in a simple, clean user-interface. With Document Reader, you can view documents right on your desktop without having to print them out or go looking for them on the internet.
Word documents are the most commonly used formats of documents. They are easily opened on almost every platform such as Windows, Mac, Android and Linux. The compatibility with almost all devices is one of the biggest advantages of using Microsoft Word.