Knowledgebase

By Default, IE will use the same PDF viewing application as you have set in Windows, under Settings > apps > default apps.

To use our plugin to view PDF's directly within IE you must have the application installed (portable versions do not work):

1. Open the PDF-XChange Editor, and Enter the Preferences (Ctrl+K)
2. Under the File Associations category, set the View PDF files in Internet Explorer option to Yes.
   
   (Note that "File associations" are only available to the installed versions of the Editor, not the portable versions)
3. Restart both the PDF-XChange Editor, and your Internet Explorer browser.
4. Now any links to download a PDF document should instead open within that window in IE. If they do not, see the steps on "disabling protected mode" below.

**NOTE: After clicking Apply, the value will change back to Do not Change, this is intended and simply means that further consecutive presses will not attempt to make changes to this value again. This helps to prevent users from receiving repeated UAC prompts.

The second step is to adjust the Internet Options for Internet Explorer and Disable Protected Mode:

1. Move to the Control Panel of the local computer.

2. Click Internet Options. The Internet Properties dialog box will open. Click the Security tab and ensure that the Enable Protected Mode box is not selected, as detailed below. This disables protected mode in Internet Explorer, which is necessary in order to run the PDF XChange applications.

3. If the box is selected then clear it and click Apply. If you are running Internet Explorer 11 then a warning will appear that states: "The current security settings will put your computer at risk." This is an automatic system response - your computer is not at any risk. Click OK.

Please note that if you do not have the most recent version of Internet Explorer installed on your computer, then it is highly recommended that you update your version and restart your computer as soon as possible.If you want to make PDF-XChange applications the default PDF programs for other browsers then please see KB#303.

To setup IE to directly utilize our PDF-XChange Standard conversion plugin, as well as enable to browser helper:

1. Open Internet Explorer and press F10 to open the Menu Toolbar.
2. Click Tools and then click Manage add-ons:
   
   The Manage Add-ons dialog box will open.
3. Click Toolbars and Extensions in the Add-on Types menu, then select All add-ons in the Show dropdown menu:
   
4. Select the PDF-XChange IE Plugin. (Please note that there will ususally be two PDF-XChange IE Plugins listed, as shown below. Enable both:
   

If there are PDF add-ons listed for other PDF products, such as Adobe Acrobat, then ensure they are disabled in order to avoid conflicts.

We now offer an extension for Chromium based browsers (including Google Chrome and MS Edge). This extension is part of the PDF-XChange Standard printer, and should appear as an optional plugin (browser popup notice) after installation. Note that some browsers will only check for optional plugins like ours every few hours, and it may take a short while after installing to see this notice.

Google Chrome

Please note that the settings in Google Chrome changed in build 57 and it is no longer possible to determine the default PDF viewer used within Google Chrome while viewing documents. However, it is possible to change the settings so that documents are downloaded and opened in PDF-XChange Editor instead of being viewed online, as detailed here.

Converting From Chrome

As we now offer the Chromium web browser plugin, you can now simply click the "PDF XChange" plugin icon in the upper right corner of the web browser, in order to directly convert a webpage, including web links and other page elements quickly and easily.

Another way to convert a webpage from Google Chrome to PDF currently is to utilize our PDF-XChange Printers (Standard or Lite). To do this, simply press print (Ctrl+P), and choose our printer from the list.

Microsoft Edge

Please note that, much like Google Chrome, and Firefox above, Microsoft Edge does not allow for viewing plugins to be enabled. Edge should prompt you asking what to do the first time you download a PDF document, and offer an option to automatically open it in your Default PDF application.

Converting From MS Edge

As we now offer the Chromium web browser plugin, you can now simply click the "PDF XChange" plugin icon in the upper right corner of the web browser, in order to directly convert a webpage, including web links and other page elements quickly and easily.

Much like above, another way to convert a webpage is to simply Print from the browser and select our PDF-XChange Printers.

Mozilla Firefox

Please note that Mozilla Firefox no longer offers support for NPAPI plugins, which means it is not possible to view PDFs in that browser as the relevant plugin for PDF-XChange Editor does not support it. However, it is possible to change the settings so that documents are opened in PDF-XChange Editor instead of being viewed online, as detailed here.

Converting From Firefox

The most reliable way to convert a webpage from Mozilla Firefox to PDF currently is to utilize our PDF-XChange Printers (Standard or Lite). To do this, simply press print (Ctrl+P), and choose our printer from the list.