The best PDF readers for Windows offer an enhanced on-screen reading experience for all kinds of files - but they also come with plenty of other document management and modification tools.
If you just need a simple PDF viewer on a Windows device, most modern browsers can display documents with ease. However, beyond commenting and annotation, they tend to lack the tools found in the best free PDF readers, or even best PDF editors and best free PDF editors. For better functionality, today's Windows PDF reader software is more than equipped to let you view, modify, fill forms, and digitally sign important documents.
With plenty of experience reviewing PDF apps for all platforms, we wanted to know which were the best PDF readers for Windows - so, we put them to the test. As part of our process, we've compared how easy it is to view and collaborate on files using the software, compared additional tools like document conversion, and assessed platform compatibility, overall performance, and pricing.
The best PDF reader for Windows of 2024 in full:
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Best Windows PDF reader for fast file access
pdfFiller is an online PDF editor built for creating and altering documents in your browser, with desktop apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.
If you only need to view a PDF file, you can upload it from the homepage, give it a second or three to process, and you’re in. You don’t even need to sign in to use the free PDF reader. From here, you can also edit text - it effectively works like a word processor, making it very intuitive to use. At the top of the screen are a few more tools found in PDF readers and editors, including form filling, file conversion, the blackout redaction tool, and digital signatures (auto-generated, uploaded, or drawn by your own hand).
Beyond the free Windows PDF reader, everything else is locked behind subscription plans. To save or export any document changes requires sign up and selecting one of three monthly or annual subscriptions. Enterprise pricing for teams of 10+ is available.
Overall, one of the best PDF readers for Windows, Mac, mobile devices, and in the browser - documents are free to read and no sign up is necessary. But for additional tools, advanced or otherwise, a subscription will be needed.
Read our full pdfFiller review.
Best online PDF reader for Windows
Soda PDF is one of the best PDF readers for Windows for both individual users and businesses. It offers a full suite of cloud-based PDF tools through either home or premium editions.
When we tested out Soda PDF, we discovered a versatile online PDF editor with plenty of tools for document management, whether it's tweaking minor typos or more or less starting from scratch.
With the software, you’re able to review, annotate, send and track documents from a single comprehensive user interface. You can also connect Soda PDF to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Evernote and Box accounts, which makes it easier to download and distribute documents.
Another great thing about the application is that it comes with a batch processing feature, allowing you to create and convert multiple PDF files at the same time. There’s an e-sign function as well, which you can use to prepare and send PDF-based contracts to clients or partners. What’s more, you can track and get reminders on all the documents you distribute through the app.
Plus, if you use a range of devices within your company, the software works not just for Windows, but also Mac, Linux, iOS and Android devices.
Overall, PDF power-users prepared to pay for the premium features will gain the most from Soda PDF. And it's certainly not one for those looking for an offline PDF reader.
Read our full Soda PDF review.
Best PDF reader for Windows only
WinZip PDF Pro is so dedicated to viewing PDFs that it's the first thing you'll see when you open this top PDF reader for Windows.
In fact, when we reviewed the software, we found this constant nudge to make it our default PDF reader on Windows, that it started getting mildly irritating. Still, overlook this minor grip and you'll find a stellar PDF reader fully loaded with tools for editing, manipulating documents. This isn't just a PDF reader,
You'll find all the usual tools - and simply, too, since the interface is clean and elegant navigation is incredibly easy. Overall, we were left with the impression that anything we needed to do with our PDF documents was largely possible in WinZip PDF Pro.
Hardware requirements are minimal, so it's an ideal PDF reader for low-end PCs.
Read our full WinZip PDF Pro review.
Best budget PDF reader for Windows
Foxit has developed a sophisticated PDF management app, with PDF Editor (formerly PhantomPDF) being pushed as a tool that goes well beyond PDF viewing, providing a range of cloud-based tools that allow you to create and customize documents at scale.
Described by the company as a ‘transformative’ PDF application, the software lets you create and modify PDFs while providing a plethora of sophisticated management, security and collaboration features. For instance, you can manage who has access to documents, track who opens them, notify readers of document updates and send document requests to your colleagues.
This software also sports a whole suite of useful editing tools. You can change the layout of a document, rearrange paragraphs, columns and pages, or make your documents look more professional by including stamps, watermarks, headers, footers and so forth. You can also merge PDFs and split PDFs into new files.
Should you be mulling a purchase, the good news is that there’s a free trial so you can test out the software first.
Read our full Foxit PDF review.
Best Windows PDF reader for enterprise
Another notable PDF management software platform for individuals and enterprises is Power PDF, an easy-to-use piece of software that lets you create, edit, annotate and share documents quickly. It’s used by a number of large organizations and governments.
There are several versions of the software, all of which offer different features. The Standard edition lets you create, convert, combine and edit documents, fill in forms and share PDF files. It also lets you turn documents like invoices and receipts into PDFs through a scanning and OCR feature.
Meanwhile, the Power PDF Advanced package is targeted at business users. While offering all the same features of the Standard edition, it comes with collaboration, security and redaction abilities. You can access documents anywhere and at any time through the cloud, too.
Enterprises can get a quote for volume licensing of the software as well. By going down this route, firms get one deployment package with a single license.
Read our full Kofax Power PDF review.
Best established PDF reader for Windows
Adobe Acrobat Reader is about the closest you can get to an ‘official’ PDF reader for Windows - the company originated the document filetype, and open-sourced it several years later. For us, it’s long been the default PDF reader for Windows, as well as Apple and Android devices. But lately, we’ve been having doubts.
We’ve always liked the clean and simple interface found across Adobe’s products, and you’ll find it here. Reader is very simple to use with an intuitive design, and excellent fill and sign functions. The tool is able to check a document and automatically highlight sections that need filling in or signing, and it worked perfectly every time for us.
However, many of the tools are locked behind a paywall - even simple functions like PDF conversion require a subscription. If you just need to read, comment, annotate, or fill and sign documents, we still feel it has its uses. But increasingly, you need to subscribe to get the most from the software.
Read our full Adobe Acrobat Reader (2024) review.
Best Windows PDF reader for beginners
SoftXpansion has developed Perfect PDF Ultimate, which is described by the firm as an ‘all-in-one’ application for processing PDF files. Available to buy direct from the Microsoft Store, this user-friendly software is perfect for viewing, editing and creating PDF documents.
Features include the ability to edit page content, generate interactive forms, comment on existing documents, as well as being able to convert, combine and split files. You can also add e-signatures and encryption to important business files.
Thanks to its simple and intuitive interface, Perfect PDF Ultimate is a great app for beginners, especially if they’re looking to dabble with PDF editing. However, the software could feel too basic for some users. There’s also no option to convert PDFs to other formats or vice versa, so you may need to consider other options if conversion is a priority.
Alternative PDF readers and editors to consider
PDF Exchange is a free PDF editor that's rich with features. Aside from being able to view, create, and edit PDFs, there are additional options to OCR and digital sign documents. PDF-XChange Editor Plus is an upgraded version which allows for the creation and editing of PDF forms. While PDF Exchange Editor is freeware, you can pay a nominal fee to get a version with support.
Nitro PDF Reader is another free PDF reader that allows users to read, edit, and annotate PDF files. Nitro PDF offers a couple of key differences to a lot of other free PDF software, though. The first is that it allows for the creation and editing of PDF forms. The other is that it has a sleek and simple interface that uses tabbed menus, making it look like it took inspiration from Microsoft Word in presentation. Sharing and signing are also available.
STDU Viewer - aka, Scientific and Technical Document Utility Viewer - is a freeware viewer that works with multiple file formats. It aims to be an all-in-one viewer for most common file formats used in scientific documentation, such as PDF, TIFF, DjVu, XPS, JBIG2, WWF, FB2, TXT, TCR, PalmDoc(PDB), MOBI, AZW, EPub, DCX, as well as offers a range of supported image file types. It comes with a tabbed interface, multilingual support, and can also work with multi-layered text documents and convert them to single layer document file.
Adobe Reader DC is probably the most famous read-only viewer for PDF files, not least because it's free and has often been integrated with web browsers. The positives, apart from being free, include the stated aim of making PDFs viewable regardless of the operating system used. The negative, of course, is that you can't edit and annotate files in the free viewer and you will need one of the options above to do that.
We've listed the best PDF compressor.
Best PDF readers for Windows: FAQs
Should I use a PDF editor or a PDF reader on Windows?
Depending on what you intend to do with your documents, you may find you need either a PDF reader or a fully featured PDF editor.
PDF readers on Windows 10 and 11 come with plenty of tools for viewing files on your desktop. They also feature online collaboration tools, letting you share, comment, annotate, and collaborate. And the very best PDF readers for Windows 10 and 11 also come equipped with productivity-boosting tools.
PDF editors for Windows have a lot more tools, specifically for creating, editing, and converting documents into other formats. They also include features like the best PDF converter and esign software.
If you only intend to view PDF files and make notes for the team, a PDF reader (sometimes billed as a PDF viewer) should be more than enough. If you're regularly making and working on PDFs, PDF editing software will likely serve your needs better.
How to choose the best PDF reader for Windows
When it comes to choosing the best PDF reader on Windows for you, you’ll want to gauge your needs correctly to select the right product. If you don’t often use PDFs, then it’ll be smart to get a low-cost or free PDF reader with limited functionality. But if you’re regularly working with PDFs and even need PDF editing or file conversion, then a more powerful software will be helpful.
For those who read many physical documents and need to scan and store them, a PDF reader with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature will be quite handy. In case you plan to access sensitive documents through the PDF reader, you’ll want an application that is secure and offers advanced security features. It's also worth checking for the best e-signature software and best online collaboration tools that are now a mainstay of the office.
How we test the best PDF readers for Windows
Our team of reviewers have assessed a massive range of PDF apps, including the best PDF readers for Mac and the best PDF readers for Android. And for Windows software, we take the same rigorous approach.
To test the best PDF readers for Windows, we analyzed the features and performance of many applications. We looked at how quickly the software would load PDFs, especially if the file had a lot of images or was large in size. We considered the usability and simplicity of the app interface, and whether it was suited for beginners or experts.
We evaluated free and paid options, and checked if the apps were for online or offline use. For paid software, we looked at their free trials and how comprehensive the trials were. We also looked into the pricing plans, and whether there were discounts on bulk purchases.
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