PDF Viewer

Uses HTML5 to display PDF files directly in the browser.

PDF Viewer is a Chrome extension that lets you open and read PDF files directly in your browser using HTML5 technology. Developed and supported by Mozilla, PDF.js provides a reliable, community-driven platform to parse and render PDF documents without the need for additional software. This official extension replaces the default PDF viewer in Chrome, ensuring quick and seamless PDF viewing.

The viewer supports local files with an easy setup via the Chrome extensions settings. Users should note a known limitation: PDFs generated via form POST requests are not viewable. Privacy-conscious users can opt out of telemetry data collection. Feedback and issue reporting are actively welcomed to enhance the user experience.

Manifest V3 Extension Productivity Utilities
By:
https://pdfjs.robwu.nl
Users:
1,000,000
Rating:
3.30
(2,678)
3 new ratings
Version:
4.6.129 Last updated: 2024-10-28
Creation date:
2019-09-13
Risk:
Very high risk impact Very low risk likelihood
Permissions:
  • alarms
  • declarativeNetRequestWithHostAccess
  • webRequest
  • tabs
  • webNavigation
  • storage
Host permissions:
  • <all_urls>
Size:
3.21MB
Email:
ro*****@robwu.nl
URLs:
Website ,Privacy policy
Full description:
See detailed description
Source:
Chrome Web Store
Updated:
a day ago

User reviews

Users appreciate the PDF Viewer extension for its speed, lightweight nature, and user-friendly interface, along with useful features like remembering last read position and zoom. It also supports diverse PDF types and online viewing without downloads. However, multiple users report printing quality issues, recent functionality breakdowns forcing downloads instead of opening in tabs, and problems opening PDFs from local storage. Additionally, URL changes while viewing PDFs affect ease of citation. Overall, while effective for online reading, reliability and printing could be improved.
Pros
  • Lightweight and fast PDF viewer, faster and smoother than Chrome's built-in viewer.
  • User-friendly and good interface, making PDF viewing easy and efficient.
  • Supports features like remembering last page and zoom level.
  • Works well with online PDFs without needing to download files first.
  • Good compatibility with various languages and PDF types, including Arabic text support.
Cons
  • Printing quality is poor when using this viewer, resulting in low-quality prints.
  • Recently stops working or forces PDFs to be downloaded instead of opening in the tab.
  • Issues with loading PDFs from local files, some users report inability to open PDFs from the hard drive.
  • Changes the URL in the address bar when viewing PDFs, complicating URL copy-pasting for citations.
Recent reviews
Eine top Erweiterung! Kann alles, was ich brauche.
by Pr*****, 2025-06-06

good interface and user-friendly. highly recommended
by Fe*****, 2025-06-03

Muito legal ele lembrar a página em que parei e o nível de zoom. Mas agora quando baixo PDFs, eles ficam com baixa resolução
by Lu*****, 2025-05-28
View all user reviews ›

Extension safety

Risk impact

PDF Viewer requires a lot of sensitive permissions. Exercise caution before installing.

Risk impact analysis details
  • Critical Grants access to browser tabs, which can be used to track user browsing habits and history, presenting a privacy concern.
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Risk likelihood

PDF Viewer has earned a good reputation and can be trusted.

Risk likelihood analysis details
  • Low This extension was updated more than 6 months ago. Older versions are more likely to be stable and safe.
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Upgrade to see full risk analysis details

Promo images

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