Do you have to download a PDF file that you have found online to have it as a reference? PDF is an acronym that comes from English and stands for "Portable Document Format" and is one of the most used formats for storing and transferring documents with text and images digitally. This wikiHow teaches you how to download the ones you find on the internet so you can have them as a reference for later.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Download a PDF file
Step 1. Download a free PDF reader
You will need a PDF reader to open the PDF files after downloading them. You can download Adobe Reader for free from the Adobe website.
- You can also open PDF files in most browsers, although they may not come out with all their features.
- Go to https://get.adobe.com/reader/ and click Install Now to download Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- There are also other third-party PDF readers, such as Foxit Reader, Nitro PDF Reader, and PDF XChange Editor that you can download for free.
Step 2. Find the PDF you want to download
There are many websites that have information in PDF format. These sites generally display the PDF within the web browser.
Make sure the PDF file opens in full screen mode as part of its own page, not part of another page
Step 3. Right click inside the PDF
Where you right-click on the document, a pop-up menu will appear.
- If you want another option, some web browsers have a floppy disk icon (Microsoft Edge), a page with an arrow inside it (Firefox), or a line with a downward pointing arrow (Google Chrome). This is the "Save" icon.
- If you are going to use Safari on Mac, click File in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
Step 4. Click Save As or Save page as.
You will see it in the pop-up menu that will appear when you right-click inside the PDF. Clicking it will open a file browser that you can use to save and select files.
- Some websites have links to downloadable PDF files just like any other downloadable file. To download these files, click the link, select where you want to download the file, and click Keep.
Step 5. Select the location where you want to save the file
Use the file browser to navigate to where you want to save the PDF. To select a location, you can click on the Quick Access folders located on the left side of the file explorer bar.
Step 6. Rename the PDF (optional)
If you want to change the file name of the PDF, type another name in the bar next to "File name".
Step 7. Click Save
You will find it in the lower right corner of the file explorer window. Thus, the PDF file will be saved on your hard drive in the location you specified.
Method 2 of 2: Open a PDF file
Step 1. Open the PDF reader
Double click the application icon to open the PDF reader. If you're opening it for the first time, you may need to complete the setup process. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete this process.
- To find the PDF reader in Windows, click the Windows start menu in the lower left corner and type the name of the PDF reader.
- To find the PDF reader on Mac, click on the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner. Type the name of the PDF reader in the search bar.
Step 2. Click File
You will find it in the "File" menu located at the top of the application or in the menu bar. Clicking it will bring up a pop-up menu.
Step 3. Click Open
It's usually at the top of the pop-up menu that appears when you click File. Clicking it will open a file explorer that you can use to navigate to the PDF file you have saved.
Step 4. Navigate to the PDF file and click it
Open the folder where the PDF is saved and click to select it. You can use the Quick Access folders located on the left side of the file explorer window. Normally, the files that are downloaded to the computer are saved in the "Downloads" folder.
Step 5. Click Open
You will find it in the lower right corner of the file explorer. Clicking it will open the PDF file in the PDF reader.
You can also open the file by navigating to it using Windows Explorer or Finder on Mac. Then double-click it to open it
Step 6. Start reading the PDF
Flip through the PDF document like any other file. PDF readers do not allow editing of PDF files. Use the mouse wheel to scroll up and down the thumbnails or click and drag the thumbnails on the left side of the screen. If you want to modify the PDF, you will have to use a special program to edit these types of files or you can edit them online on a secure website.