How to open a PDF file on a computer - TOP programs

In this collection, we presented popular programs for reading PDF files, specializing in opening, viewing and editing scanned documents, drawings, magazines, forms, books and various documentation in the Portable Document Format.

We will help you choose the best PDF reader, based on the specific needs of the user, the functionality of the program, additional options, high-quality tools, comfort and ease of use of the software.

Rating of programs for reading PDF files 2020

Review of PDF Readers 2020

Foxit Reader download

The application impresses with its ease of use, number of important settings and guarantee of the security of your documentation. Foxit Reader creates, reads, edits and prints PDF, allows you to add comments to selected text fragments, enable and disable panels, fill out forms, import and export pages.

The software functionality also includes adding test and graphic material, adjusting fill, font and shading, and convenient search. The utility is distributed for different platforms and has a nice Russian-language menu.

PDF Commander download

PDF Commander is a useful application for convenient and multifaceted work with the PDF format. The utility is a comprehensive product for interacting with PDF documentation and includes solutions such as generating, opening, reading, adjusting, converting and protecting materials of the above-mentioned format.

Thanks to a well-thought-out Russian-language menu and the necessary tools for work, the user can easily view and read the content by moving through pages, changing the scale, making bookmarks and leaving comments.

How to open pdf format?

There are many programs for viewing PDF format. In my practice I use two:

Adobe Reader

The first is the free Adobe Reader program. The program is from the developer of the PDF format and is considered one of the best, since the developer knows all the intricacies of his brainchild better than anyone else. I install this program on computers in organizations.

Movavi PDF Editor download

One of the best PDF readers with the functions of an editor and creating a document from scratch. The product of a popular company is distinguished by high-quality work and considerable capabilities. Movavi PDF Editor will allow you to read digital books, view reports and other PDF material, copy a test to the clipboard, read annotations and comments, zoom and simultaneously work with several types of documentation.

The user can also update PDF presentations, combine projects from different software, convert the above format, certify documents with a signature and seal. The only disadvantage of the program is the limitation of the free period.

Adobe Acrobat Reader download

A popular reader for working with PDFs, allowing you to view and copy the “stuffing”, open multimedia content in the document, add electronic signatures, comment and select a reading mode.

A comfortable and optimal viewer organizes work with graphic files, e-books and text documentation, opens three-dimensional graphics and flash videos, integrates into a web navigator and prints the material. The free version limits the application's capabilities to viewing documents only without using advanced options.

Soda PDF download

The program with an interesting name will allow you to view, create and edit PDF files. Soda differs from analogues in the presence of a unique technique for 3D document reading and text identification.

The program has its own cloud, converts different types of files into PDF, has a powerful search system and different reading modes, highlights and crosses out text, scales, creates bookmarks, adds comments and pointers. It has a modern Russian-language interface with accessible controls.

Cool PDF Reader

Another light and fast program for reading pdf documents. In addition to simply reading pdf documents, Cool PDF Reader is equipped with a number of other features that set it apart from its competitors.

Let's take a closer look at the main features of the Cool PDF Reader program:

• View and print PDF documents;
• Convert PDF documents into formats such as: TXT, BMP, JPG, GIF, PNG, WMF, EMF and EPS;
• Extract text from PDF format to TXT;
• Supports all versions of PDF format;
• Supports 68 different languages;
• View PDF files as slide shows;

Moreover, the program is only 808 kilobytes in size and is not very demanding on computer resources.

Screenshot of Cool PDF Reader:

You can learn more about the Cool PDF Reader program on the official website https://www.pdf2exe.com/reader.html.

Icecream PDF Editor download

Icecream PDF Editor is a free software for creating and editing PDF documents.

It is a simple, but quite powerful program with a large number of options and settings for effectively working with material of the above format, creating and editing documents, combining them into a single document, adding notes, applying passwords, etc.

Uncompromising Acrobat

In order not to have any problems with displaying PDF files, it is best to install the program of the format developer itself - Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Just select the program language “Russian” if the download page itself does not correctly determine it. The installation process is trivial, just click “Next” all the time.

Adobe has a complete package for working with PDF documents, including creation and editing - Adobe Acrobat Standard, but it is paid.

Acrobat Reader provides a good set of features and flexibility in customization for ease of use. It is completely free, both for home and commercial use, and is on my list of the most necessary programs for a computer. When you first start, you will need to confirm the use of a free license. Most likely, you won’t even have to go into the settings, because the program works great by default.

In the latest versions of Adobe Reader, there is still a small opportunity to change a file. These are tools for highlighting text and inserting comments. The title “Text Highlighting” is probably not a very good Russian translation, because... “Text highlighting” is more suitable. To highlight the text, click on the icon in the toolbar and select the text, and the add comments icon is located immediately to the left.

By default, text is highlighted in yellow. You can change the highlight color only after highlighting with the default color. To do this, double-click on the selection and in the window click on the icon and select “Properties”. From there you can remove the highlight and add or change a comment.

Hamster PDF Reader download

The application works not only with PDF, but also DjVu, XPS formats, and is relevant for reading magazines from a computer, e-books, design works and various documentation.

Hamster reads, displays and prints material, selects and copies text fragments, has a full-screen mode, text search and page transition. The zoom slider function, document configuration settings, and portable software operation are also available.

PDFescape

PDFescape is another utility for editing PDF files on Windows, completing our rating. It has a large number of different functions, such as editing, and you can work with both the text itself and images. File merging, printing, etc. are also available.

Of course, this is only a part of the existing programs for Windows OS, which make it possible to edit and work with PDF files in general. Many users prefer not to look for any program at all, but to use their browser for such purposes. After all, there is a special program already built into it. You can also save files in the same browser, or make edits regarding its size, scale, etc.

Here we tried to select the best PDF editors with a Russian interface that you can work with easily, clearly and productively. Are there any of your favorite apps on this list? How often do you use such programs, and what functions are most important to you? Write your opinion on this matter in the comments.

PDF-XChange Viewer download

It is a good viewer and editor, which, in addition to its basic functions, can also fill out and save Adobe PDF forms, extract fragments and pictures, enlarge text and export PDF pages to different image formats.

The utility is faster and more functional than its competitors, supports user tabs and stamps, creates snapshots, adds comments, annotations and marks, copies text to the clipboard and has browser add-ons.

Programs for reading PDF files

To simplify your choice, we will divide the above PDF readers into several categories. PDF Commander and Movavi PDF Editor are excellent solutions for users of any level, from beginner to professional. All the most important options that provide maximum comfort when working with the .PDF extension are collected here. Both programs are solid competitors not only to each other, but also to any multifunctional software, including the popular Adobe Acrobat Reader. Another important advantage is the low cost for a complete set of tools. For only 690 rubles you get powerful and fast software that can easily cope with any task of reading/editing and creating materials. Also, both applications impress with ease of use and no other contender can compare with them in this regard.

Adobe Pro DC , Soda , Infix Editor and Master PDF Editor are professional software products that provide an advanced set of functions for editing PDF files. Adobe works faster and more functionally than its competitors, supports Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, and allows you to open one project on different devices linked by a Creative Cloud account. Soda boasts a rare 3D reading capability. Infix and MasterPDF will offer a wide range of templates with layouts, as well as a developed commenting and annotation system. To use advanced options in any of the editors under consideration, you will have to purchase a very expensive license. The same PDFMaster will cost over 5,000 rubles.

Foxit PDFEditor and Sejda cannot compete with the TOP, but they contain not only a viewer, but also amateur editing and conversion tools. And yet, taking into account the severe limitations of demo versions and the unreasonable cost of a paid subscription, we strongly recommend considering solutions from Movavi and AMS Software .

HamsterPDF Reader , Sumatra and STDU Weaver are simple and completely free programs that specialize exclusively in reading and printing documents. They cannot offer the user anything more, except that Sumatra does not require installation and can be launched from a flash drive. Referring to this factor, it is better to choose also free Nitro PDF or XChange . A special feature of these utilities is their support for browser plugins that allow you to view PDF documents directly in your browser window. You also get a good converter and minimal tools for adding comments, notes and stamps.

The review did not include one interesting program called PDF24 Creator. It can be used online; to do this, just visit the official website of the developer. If none of the proposed options suits you, you can also consider Cool PDF Reader, Expert PDF Reader.

Master PDF Editor download

The developers position their product as a multifunctional reader, editor and viewer with a large range of options and the quality of the actions performed. The PDF Wizard can combine files into a single file, optically recognize the text, split the source, leave a signature and comment, encrypt the material and send the PDF to a virtual printer.

The user can add any image to the document, drag and drop objects within the file, resize, create unique stamps, calculate and validate data, and edit pages.

Sumatra PDF

Sumatra PDF is an open source program. In addition to PDF files, it can also work with files in ePub, XPS, MOBI, CHM, DjVu, CBZ and CBR formats. This program is available both as an installer and in a portable version.

Other features of the Sumatra PDF program include:

• Simple and intuitive interface;
• Supports more than 60 languages;
• Correct smoothing of images when scaling a document;
• Regular updates;

Screenshot of the Sumatra PDF program:

You can find out more about the program on the official website https://blog.kowalczyk.info/software/sumatrapdf/free-pdf-reader-ru.html.

Infix PDF Editor download

Let's complete our review with a utility that can not only view and edit PDF, but also translate, format and convert it. A solid competitor for many text editors thanks to its developed tools, work with graphics and text.

Infix Editor corrects materials in a document, hides and blocks graphic objects on the page, creates and edits masks, autofills forms, converts PDF, translates documents and much more.

Foxit Reader - a more modest alternative

Of course, the leader is Acrobat Reader.
However, there are very interesting alternatives. For example, Foxit Reader. The fact is that the “reader” from Adobe is very bulky: large in size, increased requirements for the system. But here the developers relied on a user-friendly interface and performance, cutting out all unnecessary functionality.

Main characteristics:

— Using this reader you can add comments to the finished document and print it along with them; — Increased level of security: Foxit Reader will not connect to the Internet without your permission; - Performance. As mentioned above, although Acrobat Reader is the most popular, it is quite cumbersome and can “boot up” an old computer quite well, while Foxit will not allow this.

Still undecided on your choice? Let's continue!