How To Set Google Chrome As PDF Viewer In Windows

Yep, you heard that right!! If you are on a computer system where a PDF viewer is not available or installed, you can always use your one and only one web browser Google Chrome as a PDF Viewer in Windows Operating system. Not only that, you can set it as a default PDF viewer in Windows OS. But be sure that your computer system is having the Google Chrome web browser. Rest is a just a small trick.

Using Google Chrome as a default PDF viewer, you always have a one less software to worry about. If you think, Google Chrome is better than your current PDF viewer, then this is what you must be looking for.

Set Google Chrome As A PDF Viewer In Windows

• Click on Windows Button, type “Associations” in the Run command box and choose the one link that says “Change the file type associated with the file type extension”. Or you can use this path to visit the same. (Control Panel\Programs\Default Programs\Set Associations)
• New window will welcome you with all the file types and it’s associated programs to run it.
• Search for PDF file type, you have to do that manually. Double-click it.

• Choose Google Chrome from the Open With program list. Or if it is not listed there, then you are required to browse the Google Chrome Application from the Primary drive.
• Select it and click on OK to confirm the choice. At-last click on close. That’s it. Now Google Chrome is your default PDF file reader, viewer. You’ll also notice that all your PDF file-icons are changed to that of Google Chrome.
• This way, Windows 7 and Windows Vista users can set Google Chrome as their default PDF file viewer.

Windows XP users are required to follow this method.

• Click on Start Button, move to My Computer.
• From the menu, choose Tools, move down to Folder Options.
• Under File Types, search and select PDF files.
• Click on Change and select if it is listed there, else browse to Google Chrome.
• Now Google Chrome is the default PDF file viewer in Windows XP too.

Warning – Before changing the file type association, be sure to check whether the program is capable to run that or not. Doing so can cause errors.

Now you are done setting your Google Chrome Web Browser as a default PDF viewer/reader. Didn’t like it? Reverse the steps to get back to normal. But to be frank, Google Chrome as a PDF viewer is light and faster than any other PDF application. What’s your opinion?