Although PDF files are initially created so that they cannot be altered, there is now a range of free PDF editors available as well as paid-for options, which allow PDF files to be annotated, edited, and even digitally signed.
Additionally, because PDF files can contain not just text but also images, tables, charts, and other data, there are now, there are also now PDF to Word converters, PDF to Excel converters, and apps that let you combine PDF files.
There is also a range of document scanning software available to help turn paper documents into PDF files for digital use and storage.
Therefore while it's great to have a basic PDF reader, it can be even more useful to have PDF software that allows additional features to be used, so you can get the most out of the PDF files you do use.
Here we'll feature the best PDF readers currently available for Windows. We’ve evaluated these PDF readers across many areas, like file opening speed, ease of use, interface simplicity, and cost. We also looked at whether the apps had advanced tools for form signing, editing, and merging multiple files, among other features.
We've featured the best PDF readers for Mac and the best PDF apps for Android.
Windows PDF readers: which tool is best?
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Adobe Acrobat DC is the best PDF editor and reader.
(opens in new tab)Whether you're reading. editing, converting, or compressing PDFs, Adobe Acrobat is the office standard. Available for a monthly or annual subscription, on desktop and mobile, it's built for power-users and professionals. When we reviewed the tool, we were impressed by the advanced tools, awarding the software 5 stars and saying, "sometimes, the best solution on the market has its reputation for a reason.”
The best PDF readers for Windows of 2022 in full
1. Adobe Acrobat DC
Best PDF reader for Windows overall
Today's Best Deals
VISIT SITE (opens in new tab)
Reasons to buy
+ Convert and edit PDF files Neat file comparison tool Works across PCs, tablets and smartphones
Reasons to avoid
- There are more advanced products out there
Software giant Adobe not only pioneered the PDF, but it has also created a highly popular and comprehensive application that lets you manage such documents effectively. Adobe Acrobat Document Cloud provides you with the tools to download, convert and edit PDF files across computers, tablets and smartphones.
With the software, you can use your smartphone camera to capture and turn any document into a high-quality PDF. There’s also a new file comparison tool, which quickly and accurately analyzes two PDF files to find any differences. That could be handy if you’re looking to compare different drafts of the same piece of work.
What’s more, when you create a PDF document using Acrobat, you’re sent a smart file that you can edit, sign, share and search. You can even use the built-in preview feature to see what the document will look like on different screen sizes and resolutions. And if you’re writing a letter or have been sent an important form, you can add your signature by using the Acrobat app on a touchscreen-enabled device.
If you’re interested in purchasing Acrobat, there are two offerings to pick from. Acrobat Standard DC which lets you create, edit and sign PDF documents. However, it only works on Windows devices. Meanwhile, Acrobat Pro DC gives you access to all the listed features – plus it’s also compatible with Mac devices.
If you strictly need a free PDF reader for Windows, there's also Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. It's less effective than Acrobat DC, with ads, but it should serve you well.
Read our full Adobe Acrobat DC review.
(Image credit: Foxit)2. Foxit PDF Editor
Best budget PDF reader
Today's Best Deals
VISIT SITE (opens in new tab)
Reasons to buy
+ Cloud tools Collaborative features Good value for money
Reasons to avoid
- No OCR in free version
Foxit has developed a sophisticated PDF management app, with PDF Editor (formerly PhantomPDF) being pushed as a tool that goes well beyond PDF viewing, providing a range of cloud-based tools that allow you to create and customize documents at scale.
Described by the company as a ‘transformative’ PDF application, the software lets you create and modify PDFs while providing a plethora of sophisticated management, security and collaboration features. For instance, you can manage who has access to documents, track who opens them, notify readers of document updates and send document requests to your colleagues.
This software also sports a whole suite of useful editing tools. You can change the layout of a document, rearrange paragraphs, columns and pages, or make your documents look more professional by including stamps, watermarks, headers, footers and so forth. You can also merge PDFs and split PDFs into new files.
Should you be mulling a purchase, the good news is that there’s a free trial so you can test out the software first.
Read our full Foxit PDF review.
(Image credit: Soda)3. Soda PDF
Best online PDF reader for Windows
Today's Best Deals
VISIT SITE (opens in new tab)
Reasons to buy
+ Plenty of smart features Compatible with Google Drive and more
Reasons to avoid
- Not cheap
Soda PDF is one of the best PDF readers for Windows for both individual users and businesses. It offers a full suite of cloud-based PDF tools through either home or premium editions.
When we tested out Soda PDF, we discovered a versatile online PDF editor with plenty of tools for document management, whether it's tweaking minor typos or more or less starting from scratch.
With the software, you’re able to review, annotate, send and track documents from a single comprehensive user interface. You can also connect Soda PDF to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Evernote and Box accounts, which makes it easier to download and distribute documents.
Another great thing about the application is that it comes with a batch processing feature, allowing you to create and convert multiple PDF files at the same time. There’s an e-sign function as well, which you can use to prepare and send PDF-based contracts to clients or partners. What’s more, you can track and get reminders on all the documents you distribute through the app.
Plus, if you use a range of devices within your company, the software works not just for Windows, but also Mac, Linux, iOS and Android devices.
Overall, PDF power-users prepared to pay for the premium features will gain the most from Soda PDF. And it's certainly not one for those looking for an offline PDF reader.
Read our full Soda PDF review.
(Image credit: WinZip)4. WinZip PDF Pro
Best PDF reader for Windows only
Reasons to buy
+ Simple and elegant interface Easy to use
Reasons to avoid
- Annual subscription may not offer value to all Some occasional glitches and odd design choices
WinZip PDF Pro is so dedicated to viewing PDFs that it's the first thing you'll see when you open this top PDF reader for Windows.
In fact, when we reviewed the software, we found this constant nudge to make it our default PDF reader on Windows, that it started getting mildly irritating. Still, overlook this minor grip and you'll find a stellar PDF reader fully loaded with tools for editing, manipulating documents. This isn't just a PDF reader,
You'll find all the usual tools - and simply, too, since the interface is clean and elegant navigation is incredibly easy. Overall, we were left with the impression that anything we needed to do with our PDF documents was largely possible in WinZip PDF Pro.
Hardware requirements are minimal, so it's an ideal PDF reader for low-end PCs. The software is available for an annual subscription of $75 / £78 - about average for the features on offer here.
Read our full WinZip PDF Pro review
(Image credit: Kofax)5. Power PDF
Best PDF reader with enterprise-level tools
specifications
Condition
New
Today's Best Deals
Power PDF Standard
(opens in new tab)$129
(opens in new tab)Power PDF Advanced
(opens in new tab)$179
(opens in new tab)Visit Site (opens in new tab)at Kofax (opens in new tab)
Reasons to buy
+ Used by major enterprises Lets you create, edit and annotate documents
Reasons to avoid
- A tad expensive
Another notable PDF management software platform for individuals and enterprises is Power PDF, an easy-to-use piece of software that lets you create, edit, annotate and share documents quickly. It’s used by a number of large organizations and governments.
There are several versions of the software, all of which offer different features. The Standard edition lets you create, convert, combine and edit documents, fill in forms and share PDF files. It also lets you turn documents like invoices and receipts into PDFs through a scanning and OCR feature.
Meanwhile, the Power PDF Advanced package is targeted at business users. While offering all the same features of the Standard edition, it comes with collaboration, security and redaction abilities. You can access documents anywhere and at any time through the cloud, too.
Enterprises can get a quote for volume licensing of the software as well. By going down this route, firms get one deployment package with a single license.
Read our full Kofax Power PDF review
(Image credit: SoftXpansion)6. Perfect PDF Ultimate
Best Windows PDF reader for beginners
Today's Best Deals
VISIT SITE (opens in new tab)
Reasons to buy
+ Very user-friendly Solid functionality Downloadable from Microsoft Store
Reasons to avoid
- Tools are too basic
SoftXpansion has developed Perfect PDF Ultimate, which is described by the firm as an ‘all-in-one’ application for processing PDF files. Available to buy direct from the Microsoft Store, this user-friendly software is perfect for viewing, editing and creating PDF documents.
Features include the ability to edit page content, generate interactive forms, comment on existing documents, as well as being able to convert, combine and split files. You can also add e-signatures and encryption to important business files.
Thanks to its simple and intuitive interface, Perfect PDF Ultimate is a great app for beginners, especially if they’re looking to dabble with PDF editing. However, the software could feel too basic for some users. There’s also no option to convert PDFs to other formats or vice versa, so you may need to consider other options if conversion is a priority.
(Image credit: Burst / Pexels)Other PDF readers and editors to consider
PDF Exchange (opens in new tab) is a free PDF editor that's rich with features. Aside from being able to view, create, and edit PDFs, there are additional options to OCR and digital sign documents. PDF-XChange Editor Plus is an upgraded version which allows for the creation and editing of PDF forms. While PDF Exchange Editor is freeware, you can pay a nominal fee to get a version with support.
Nitro PDF Reader (opens in new tab) is another free PDF reader that allows users to read, edit, and annotate PDF files. Nitro PDF offers a couple of key differences to a lot of other free PDF software, though. The first is that it allows for the creation and editing of PDF forms. The other is that it has a sleek and simple interface that uses tabbed menus, making it look like it took inspiration from Microsoft Word in presentation. Sharing and signing are also available.
STDU Viewer (opens in new tab) - aka, Scientific and Technical Document Utility Viewer - is a freeware viewer that works with multiple file formats. It aims to be an all-in-one viewer for most common file formats used in scientific documentation, such as PDF, TIFF, DjVu, XPS, JBIG2, WWF, FB2, TXT, TCR, PalmDoc(PDB), MOBI, AZW, EPub, DCX, as well as offers a range of supported image file types. It comes with a tabbed interface, multilingual support, and can also work with multi-layered text documents and convert them to single layer document file.
Adobe Reader DC (opens in new tab) is probably the most famous read-only viewer for PDF files, not least because it's free and has often been integrated with web browsers. The positives, apart from being free, include the stated aim of making PDFs viewable regardless of the operating system used. The negative, of course, is that you can't edit and annotate files in the free viewer and you will need one of the options above to do that.
How to choose the best PDF reader for Windows for you?
When it comes to choosing the best PDF reader on Windows for you, you’ll want to gauge your needs correctly to select the right product. If you don’t often use PDFs, then it’ll be smart to get a low-cost or free PDF reader with limited functionality. But if you’re regularly working with PDFs and even need PDF editing or file conversion, then a more powerful software will be helpful.
For those who read many physical documents and need to scan and store them, a PDF reader with the OCR (Optical Character Recognition) feature will be quite handy. In case you plan to access sensitive documents through the PDF reader, you’ll want an application that is secure and offers advanced security features.
The best PDF readers for Windows: How we test
To test the best PDF readers for Windows, we analyzed the features and performance of many applications. We looked at how quickly the software would load PDFs, especially if the file had a lot of images or was large in size. We considered the usability and simplicity of the app interface, and whether it was suited for beginners or experts.
We evaluated free and paid options, and checked if the apps were for online or offline use. For paid software, we looked at their free trials and how comprehensive the trials were. We also looked into the pricing plans, and whether there were discounts on bulk purchases.