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In the present scenario, when most things have gone digital, PDF has become an irreplaceable format to store, carry, and transfer documents in virtual form. Undoubtedly, it can be opened on any operating system and can easily be attached to emails, messages, websites, etc. But opening/editing the PDF file in an adequate and best PDF reader helps to maintain the health and integrity of PDF files ultimately.
However, choosing the best PDF reader for Macintosh/Windows is challenging, but it is not so hard. We, being your dependable professionals, will guide you with the most reliable and best free PDF readers for Windows and Macintosh users now. Let us get straight to them.
5 Best PDF Reader for Windows and Macintosh
In search of the best PDF reader tools, we found many, but we’ve outlined some of the powerful and widely used PDF application readers. Also, we’ve mentioned the pros and cons for a brief idea of each software to make your choice clear and precise. Let’s go one by one.
1. Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
With a rising user base of 635 million, Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is one of the best PDF readers for Macintosh, Windows, Android, etc. It is a platform independent software used for viewing, editing, sharing, and commenting on PDF documents effectively. Some of its main pros and cons are described below:
|
Pros |
Cons |
| Most reliable and industry-standard software. | Subscription-based application.(Free and Pro Version) |
| Embedded with commenting tools and features like zoom, navigation, text selection, etc. | Handling issues or getting freezes while opening large PDF files. |
| Allows to add digital signatures to the PDF documents. | Throws error messages and fails to open severely corrupted PDF files. |
| Inbuilt form filling and annotation tools. | Contains security concerns with older versions. |
2. Microsoft PDF Reader
Microsoft PDF Reader is also a popular and default application that helps you to navigate and interact with PDF documents. It has wide support for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android operating systems. Some pros and cons of this application are given below:
|
Pros |
Cons |
| Features like zoom in/out, rotate pages, search for words, add bookmarks, etc. are available. | Lack of advanced editing options like document manipulation, form filling, etc. |
| Provides automatic updates that add new features and security patches. | Extensive editing is not possible. |
| Integrated with Windows means no need for additional download. | Less reliable than older PDF files and versions. |
| Highlighting, underlining, and adding comments features with OCR compatibility. | Sort of control over viewing preferences and customization options. |
3. Foxit Reader
Foxit Reader is a free tool with massive support for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Web, and Linux. It can create, view, read, edit, add digital signs, and print PDF files with ease. You can also annotate and add images/videos/attachments and sign documents with customized signatures or e-signatures. The pros and cons of this application are as follows:
|
Pros |
Cons |
| It is quick and lightweight. | Contains potential security risks. |
| Contains a fast and effective search feature. | Installs additional software during its initial installation. |
| Provide annotations like commenting, highlighting, etc. | Absence of real-time document editing feature. |
| Available at no cost. | Complex editing functions like document manipulation come in paid version. |
4. Nitro Reader
Nitro Reader is a touch screen-enabled PDF reader that also helps you to read e-books where you can flick the pages without hassle. You can also view, print and create PDFs from any Windows applications. You can easily annotate and highlight the lines in the PDF file. Following are other common pros and cons of this application:
|
Pros |
Cons |
| Easy navigation is available. | No free version |
| You can annotate PDFs by highlighting the text, adding sticky notes, adding comments, etc. | Simple menu that might be inappropriate for some tech users. |
| Allows extensive PDF editing, including image insertion, text manipulation, etc. | Unavailability of OCR and inability to insert, remove, and reorder pages. |
| Easy conversion between PDF and other file formats like Word, Excel, etc. | May have compatibility issues with the system. |
5. Sumatra PDF Reader
It is also a very popular and used PDF viewer application among professionals and individuals. With its high performance and lightweight, it is considered a wise option for viewing PDF files in Windows. The other major pros and cons of this software are:
|
Pros |
Cons |
| Available for free. | Absence of advanced editing features. |
| Simple interface and runs on USB drive without installation. | Technical assistance needed for configuration. |
| Support additional file formats like CHM, EPUB, MOBI, FB2, XPS, etc. | Doesn’t fill interactive PDF forms. |
| Loads quickly and consumes less memory. | You may struggle with heavy PDF files. |
The above PDF reader application can easily open, edit, alter, merge, etc., your PDF files. If they fail to open or pop some error messages while accessing PDF files, then it signifies severe corruption issues in the file. However, the PDF reader tool doesn’t have such a mechanism to deal with corruption issues in PDF files. Then what will be our next step? How can we repair and open our PDF files?
You can also try manual hit-and-trial methods to fix & open PDF files, they are considered unreliable due to their risks and limitations. So, now you need an effective and high-end PDF repair tool to fix your PDF file issues.
Use a professional PDF repair tool repair/open corrupted PDF files
Kernel PDF Repair is an advanced and powerful tool to open damaged and corrupted PDF files quickly. It also recovers all the PDF file contents, including images, text, graphs, audio, in their original quality. With the embedded features of this best PDF file repair tool, you can easily retain the standard structure and layout of your PDF document. Also, it supports PDF files created by all PDF creators.
Some other major features of the tool are:
- Fast, reliable, and easy-to-use software.
- Repair and recover password-protected PDF files.
- Repair multiple corrupted PDF files simultaneously at no time.
- Recover all PDF data in original quality without losing data.
- Restore Adobe PDF files and support all PDF versions.
- Compatible with all Windows OS.
Conclusion
We hope this blog was helpful to you in finding the appropriate and best PDF reader for Macintosh/Windows fitted to your requirements. But the corruption/damages in PDF file may compel some common PDF file errors which restricts the PDF accessibility. So, we have also suggested an easy-to-use third-party Kernel for PDF Repair that resolves PDF file issues quickly in a few steps. Take the free trial today. Download now!
Frequently Asked Questions
A. Of course, free PDFs are safe, but mishandling can lead to viruses, malware, and trojans that compromise the PDF data. So, it is wise to choose an authentic PDF reader such as Adobe Acrobat Reader.
A. Different users have different aspects with their PDF readers. Here, we’ve shortlisted some of the fast PDF readers here:
1. Adobe Acrobat
2. Google Drive
3. Sumatra PDF Reader
4. Foxit PDF
A. Trying hit-and-trial methods may fix corrupted PDF files, but they require consecutive steps and consume time. For a fast, effective, and guaranteed solution, use only a professional PDF repair solution.