Top 8 best PDF readers for Windows PCs

List of top free and best PDF readers those can prove a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat PDF reader such as  Foxit reader, javelin pdf reader, Slimpdf reader, nitro pdf reader, Sumatra pdf and more.

Having a PDF reader for a computer is something, which is quite mainstream. It is not that we open PDF files once in a blue moon, and we use PDF files for a variety of reasons. May it be a new notification, an invoice, or it is the new storybook from your favorite author, everything under the sun comes in PDF format! Though with Windows 10, Microsoft introduced its own PDF reader, which does its job quite well. But times come, we need to do some basic modifications with the PDF files, and in such cases, the pre-installed PDF reader by Windows 10 just can’t do the job.

That being said, most people use the famous Adobe Acrobat Reader to open and edit PDF files. Adobe Acrobat Reader is so popular, that it even comes within driver CDs, and other media, which come with PDF files. But the problem with Adobe Acrobat Reader is that it is very heavy. Moreover, there are a number of better alternatives available for Acrobat Reader, which makes it not so interesting in 2018. So, here I will be discussing the top 8 PDF readers, which you should obviously try, on your Windows computer, if you want to bid adieu to Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Best free pdf reader for Windows 10, 8.1 and 7

Foxit Reader

Foxit Reader is no doubt my favorite free and best PDF reader and can be yours too; if you’re looking for a free, and a feature-rich PDF reader. The Foxit reader review according to me is very good, as the support tabbed reading, which means you can open multiple PDF files at once. With Foxit reader, you can even highlight a certain area of your document, or even edit the texts, add comments, and do almost everything with your PDF file.

Apart from annotating PDF files, it also has support for JavaScript and is cross-platform in nature. Moving on to its availability, it is even available for Mac OS, Linux, iOS, apart from Windows and Android. Foxit reader-viewer was the first PDF reader, which started supporting reading documents from where you left off.

 

PDF-XChange Viewer & Editor

If you are looking for a really lightweight PDF reader, PDF Xchange Viewer & Editor is yet another option for you. Just like Foxit reader, you can leave the document at a point, and start from that point next time you open the PDF. PDF-XChange Viewer & Editor is lightweight, but the features, which it offer are really great. From annotating PDF files to opening multiple files at once, you can do almost everything with PDF-XChange Viewer.

You can even capture screenshots from your PDF files, which is a special feature in PDF-XChange Editor. Looking at the bonus features of PDF-XChange Viewer, it supports optical character recognition or OCR on PDF files, in order to extract texts from the PDF files. The only disadvantage is, it is available only for Windows. Thus, if you are on Windows, PDF-XChange Viewer & Editor is one of the best PDF readers is for you.

* PDF-XChange Viewer and PDF-XChange Editor are two different programs, and you should download each of them individually to enjoy the features offered by each.

 

Sumatra PDF

Sumatra PDF reader is yet another open source PDF reader, which is available only for Windows. It is one of the most popular PDF readers, as it is really lightweight, and is always low on memory. One of the best parts about Sumatra PDF is its minimal user interface, which allows a lot of room for reading a document. Unlike other PDF readers, the toolbar is very small, such that you do not get diverted to the buttons and options, which appear on the top of the program.

But, you can always get some handy options like finding text in a PDF file, zooming in and out, toggling full screen and many other options. Sumatra PDF Reader even allows you to export your document to various other office-based file formats, which can also be handy for different purposes. Long story short, if you’re looking for a PDF reader with minimum distractions, Sumatra PDF reader is a one, which you should always choose.

 

Xodo

How can I forget the users, who are using Windows 10 S! If you are among those users, who depend only on the Windows 10 Store, Xodo is the one, you can choose. Xodo though needs to be downloaded from Windows Store, it comes with a number of functionalities, which you might need for your everyday PDF reading.

Xodo is the best pdf reader windows 10, which you can use, for books. You can easily highlight important texts and can add signatures to the PDF files effortlessly. Apart from that, Xodo even makes it easy to take notes, which also make it a great PDF companion for students, teachers, and users of similar other professions. Apart from the availability for Windows 10, you can even Xodo on your Windows mobile and HoloLens.

 

Javelin PDF Reader

If security is your first preference while reading PDF files, Javelin PDF Reader is the one you should go for. Unlike other PDF readers, you might not get a lot of functionalities, but it is yet another lightweight PDF reader, which you can count on. Javelin PDF Reader is similar to Foxit Reader if the availability is concerned. It is available for Windows, Android, iOS, and Mac.

Javelin PDF Reader is the best PDF reader which well-suited for everyday use and is pretty light-weight if compared to the well-known Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader. Though it doesn’t offer a lot of editing functionalities, you can always annotate PDF files, which are pretty much necessary for most PDF files. Javelin PDF files can even open encrypted files.

 

PDF Viewer Plus

PDF Viewer Plus is yet another free PDF reader, which is meant for Windows 10 users. You can download PDF Viewer Plus from the Microsoft Store, and is even available for Windows Mobile, apart from Windows 10. Though the term ‘Plus’ is present in the name, PDF Viewer Plus is just a basic PDF viewing app, which only supports some basic functionalities like printing documents.

PDF Viewer Plus also supports encrypted documents, which is an added functionality. The only problem I faced after using PDF Viewer Plus personally is, the app doesn’t have support for copying texts. I don’t know whether there is any complicated option for copying texts, but that is not handy. You can always get the handful of advanced functionalities by clicking on the hamburger menu in the app.

 

Nitro PDF Reader

Nitro PDF Reader is another great free pdf reader, which offer a plethora of functionalities. The user interface of Nitro PDF reader is quite similar to that of other PDF readers, and thus, I am not elaborating it. The biggest advantages of Nitro PDF reader is the availability of the option to extract texts and images directly from the PDF file, which can be handy for a number of occasions.

Just like other free PDF readers, you can also get support for tabbed reading. With the premium version of Nitro PDF reader, you can even do a lot of other activities, but you will hardly need that, if the only thing you want to do is, read PDF files. Nitro PDF reader is completely free to use and is available only for Windows.

 

Slim PDF Reader

If you are fond of reading a number of PDF files, and you need more than one PDF reader for your computer, you should always try out the lightweight Slim PDF Reader. Slim PDF reader is not well-known for the functionalities, which other PDF reader’s offer but it offers the basic functionality of a PDF reader, within a very small package.

If you are looking for a PDF reader within a few megabytes, Slim PDF reader is a one, which you should always try out. It is available only for Windows, and I will not recommend you to go for slim PDF reader if you’re looking for a plethora of functionalities. If you are using a very old computer and is looking for basic PDF reader, Slim PDF reader is a one which will surely serve the job.

Conclusion

These were the list of the top 8 PDF readers, which you can go for. If you’re looking for the best PDF reader Android or a mobile PDF reader, Foxit Reader is the only option for you from the list. But, if you are on Windows, you are actually having a great set of options. Not all the PDF readers offer the same set of functionalities, but you should always go for the one depending upon what exactly you need.

You can even use multiple PDF readers and editors if you are not ready to pay for a full-fledged PDF software. Most of the PDF readers; which are mentioned above are lightweight and are available within a very small package of almost 100 megabytes. Which one is your favorite PDF reader? Surely let me know about it in the comment section down below.

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