PDF Forcedownload Blocker

This extension prevents webservers from forcing pdfs to download rather than open in browser

PDF Forcedownload Blocker Chrome Extension

PDF Forcedownload Blocker is a Chrome extension created to enhance your control over PDF file handling in the browser. It prevents webservers from enforcing automatic downloads of PDF files, instead allowing them to be opened in the browser using Chrome's in-built PDF plugin. This extension works by blocking two commonly used methods websites employ to force your browser to download PDF files thus enabling you to handle them according to your preference. However, enabling this extension might prevent some websites from loading PDFs into invisible elements, making them entirely unseen.

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Extension stats

By: brenton.a.milne

Users: 2,000+

Rating: 3.17

(41)

Version: 0.3 (Last updated: 2013-08-11)

Creation date: 2013-08-11

Permissions:

webRequest
webRequestBlocking
*://*/*

Size: 3.06K

Full description: See detailed description

Ranking

# 18,548 ▲ 5

Other rankings

#23381 in Workflow & Planning ▲ 648 #67 in pdf keyword 73 ▲ 2 #77 in force keyword 16 ▲ 1 #95 in handle keyword 26

Other platforms

Not available on Android

Not available on Firefox

Not available on Edge

User reviews

These summaries are automatically generated weekly using AI based on recent user reviews. Chrome Web Store does not verify user reviews, so some user reviews may be inaccurate, spammy, or outdated.

Pros

Works as intended for some users, allowing PDFs to open in the browser instead of downloading.
Effective for sites that append '?forcedownload=1' to their PDF URLs.
Can be used with certain shortcuts to improve functionality (e.g., opening links in a new tab).

Cons

Does not work on all sites, particularly those using different methods to force downloads (e.g., 'content-disposition: attachment').
Users report varying effectiveness depending on the URL structure and site-specific behaviors.
Doesn't prevent normal PDF downloads when not in a forced download scenario.

Most mentioned

It doesn't work for certain types of links or sites.
Mixed effectiveness, some users find it works for some PDFs but not others.
Instructions or understanding of proper browser settings may be needed to improve performance.

User reviews

People writing bad reviews don't understand what this extension is for. It's for those sites that append a "?forcedownload=1" to the end of PDF file URLs to force you to download them instead of reading on the browser. It will not prevent normal PDF downloads from happening. It works perfectly the sites that do add "forceDownload" to their PDFs

Santiago Panozzo, 2024-09-20

doesn't work

Scott Davis, 2024-04-04

Useless...browser immediately opens "save file" window.

Frank K., 2023-12-02

View all user reviews

Extension safety

Risk impact

PDF Forcedownload Blocker requires some sensitive permissions that could impact your browser and data security. 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

We don't have sufficient data to confidently determine the risk likelihood of PDF Forcedownload Blocker. Use it at your own risk.

Risk likelihood analysis details

High This extension has low user count. Unpopular extensions may not be stable or safe.
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