How to Open PDF Files in Firefox

If you’re a Firefox user, you’ve probably noticed how frustrating it can be when you click on a link to a PDF file in your browser. The Adobe Acrobat Reader plugin can also cause problems, such as crashing the browser or freezing it. You can easily customize Firefox to read and display PDF files in the browser.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Go to Firefox’s add-on homepage (see Resources below).
2. Search for add-ons that will help you view PDF files on the Internet. You can simply type “pdf” in the search field.
3. Review the add-ons from your search. You’ll get brief summaries explaining how each add-on works, and you can read reviews by other users.
4. Pick an add-on and install it. Firefox will give you the option of closing the browser and restarting when you install the add-on. If you have tabs open, make sure Firefox is set to reopen the tabs automatically when it restarts.
5. To make sure the tabs open when you restart Firefox, go to Tools on the toolbar. Then go to Options > When Firefox starts. Click on the dropdown arrow and choose “Show my windows and tabs from last time.”
6. Close and restart Firefox. A tab will open to the add-ons homepage. You can close that tab or read further information about the add-on.
7. Tell Firefox what you want it to do with PDF files. Go to Tools on the toolbar and click on the Add-ons icon. Depending on the add-on, you can view files in the same tab, open a new tab, open a new window or download the PDF.