Scroll down the Site Settings screen to find and click the PDF documents option. Next to Download PDF files instead of automatically opening them in Chrome, click the toggle switch to set to the On or Off position. Chrome downloads a PDF when the toggle switch is set to On and displays a PDF in the browser when set to Off. Close the Settings tab. Options for your Mac are organized into preferences. For example, options you can set for Spotlight are located in Spotlight preferences. Preferences appear as a grid of icons; the icons shown may vary depending on your Mac and the apps you have installed. Click an icon to open a preference pane and see the options.
- Launch Safari browser on your Mac. Select Safari - Preferences from the menu bar. In the General tab, click the dropdown menu next to File download location. Select Ask for Each Download,.
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By default, most downloaded PDF files open in the Internet browser currently in use, usually in a new window or tab. This page will outline how to make the browser download PDF files automatically, rather than open them in a new tab. To proceed, select your browser from the list below and follow the instructions.
TipTo change the name of a PDF file you want to download, right-click the download link and select Save As.
Microsoft Edge Legacy
Change Download Preferences Mac
Microsoft Edge Legacy does not download PDF files by default and this setting cannot be changed. However, Edge Legacy does give you the option to save a PDF after it opens in the browser.
- Open the Microsoft Edge Legacy browser.
- Browse to the PDF file you'd like to view or download and click it.
- The file should automatically open in the browser window.
- To save (download) the PDF, click the icon, located near the top-right corner of the browser window.
Internet Explorer
Similar to Microsoft Edge Legacy, Internet Explorer displays PDF files by default, instead of offering to download them for you. However, downloading a PDF is still possible. Follow these steps to view or download a PDF with Internet Explorer.
- Open the Internet Explorer browser.
- Browse to the PDF you'd like to view or download and click it.
- The file should automatically open in the browser window.
- To save (download) the PDF, click the icon, located near the bottom of the browser window. If you do not see the save icon, move your mouse towards the bottom of the browser window, and a black bar should appear, where the save icon is located.
Google Chrome
By default, Google Chrome opens a PDF file in the browser window instead of saving it to the downloads folder. To change how Google Chrome treats PDF files in the browser, follow the steps below.
- Open the Google Chrome browser.
- Click the icon in the top-right corner of the browser window.
- Select Settings from the drop-down menu that appears.
- On the Settings window, under Privacy and security, click the Site Settings option.
- Scroll down the Site Settings screen to find and click the PDF documents option.
- Next to Download PDF files instead of automatically opening them in Chrome, click the toggle switch to set to the On or Off position. Chrome downloads a PDF when the toggle switch is set to On and displays a PDF in the browser when set to Off.
- Close the Settingstab.
Mozilla Firefox
If you're using Firefox, follow these steps.
- Open the Mozilla Firefox browser.
- Click the icon in the upper-right corner of the browser window.
- Select from the drop-down menu that appears.
- On the left side of the screen, make sure the General option is selected.
- In the Applications section (under the Files and Applications heading), select the Portable Document File (PDF) entry in the Content Type column, and click the down arrow icon to the right.
- To make Firefox automatically download PDF files, select Save File from the drop-down menu.
To have PDF files open in the browser again, repeat these steps and select the Preview in Firefox option or Use other option to choose another program.
Opera
By default, Opera opens a PDF file in the browser window instead of saving it to the downloads folder. To change how Opera treats PDF files in the browser, follow the steps below.
- Open the Opera Internet browser.
- Click the Opera menu button in the upper-left corner.
- Select Settings from the drop-down menu that appears.
- In the Settings window, under Privacy and security, click the Site Settings option.
- Scroll down to the Site Settings screen to find and click the PDF documents option.
- Next to Download PDF files instead of automatically opening them in Opera, click the toggle switch to set to the On or Off position. Opera downloads a PDF when the toggle switch is set to On and displays a PDF in the browser when set to Off.
- Close the Settingstab.
Message Preferences On Mac
Additional information
- See the PDF definition for further information about PDF files, questions and answers, and related links.