Microsoft Edge: Adobe Reader also standard for business users from fall
Private Edge users have long since switched to the Adobe inline reader. From September, it will also become an opt-out for business customers.
(Image: DANIEL CONSTANTE/Shutterstock.com)
In September, two years after the introduction of Acrobat Reader for displaying PDFs in Edge, Microsoft also wants to switch business customers as standard.
Like practically all web browsers, Microsoft Edge displays PDF documents with an inline reader that also offers simple editing options such as a highlighter. Until two years ago, Microsoft's own reader was used in Edge until it was replaced by an engine from Adobe. The changeover was automatic for private users and took several months. Customers with a business or school account had to be actively switched over by the administrator via group policy ("NewPDFReaderEnabled"). This is still the case today, which is why the old PDF reader in Edge is still active in many companies.
(Image:Â swi)
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Switching between the two engines is possible via a browser setting, even for private users. To do this, call up the URL edge://flags/#edge-new-pdf-viewer in Edge, set the list field to the right of it to "Disabled" and restart the browser. You can only tell whether the Microsoft or Adobe PDF reader is active if you look closely; the toolbars of both versions are identical. The Adobe Reader can only be recognized by a small logo at the bottom right. If you move the mouse pointer over it, the message "Supported by Adobe Acrobat" appears. The Adobe version also has an additional "Edit with Acrobat" button on the far right of the toolbar or, in the case of narrower windows, an entry of the same name in the three-dot menu. If the full Adobe package is not installed, clicking on it opens an info window with information on the functions of the premium version and a trial offer. Apart from this, Microsoft refrains from any advertising for Adobe Acrobat.
Microsoft is sticking to its plan to completely replace the classic PDF engine with Acrobat Reader for business customers too. Only the deadlines have changed. According to the updated FAQ, the new reader will also become the standard choice for companies and educational institutions from September 2025; the opt-in will therefore become an opt-out. From the beginning of 2026, Microsoft intends to completely remove the classic PDF reader from Edge, including for private users.
(swi)
