Edge open PDF documentation / behavior conflict

• Download PDF files to your device. If Microsoft Edge is your default PDF reader, PDF files will open automatically without downloading.

> Edge behavior is to open the PDF file in an Edge TAB.

> conflict: Edge is not my default PDF reader, Adobe Reader DC is my default PDF reader

The confusion arises from this misleading use of the word 'download.' No file can be displayed on your computer without being present in the computer. When you visit a web page, every piece of text and every image on the page has to be downloaded from the site before it can be displayed on your screen. They are stored temporarily by the browser. PDF files will open automatically without downloading is by this token meaningless. They have to be downloaded before you can read them.

The option Always download PDF files means 'when the file has downloaded, store it in the downloads folder' (determined by Location at Settings > Downloads). If you turn this setting Off, it will instead be stored in a temporary folder and eventually removed, just like any other resource used while browsing.

At Settings > Downloads, you have the option to select Ask me what to do with each download. While this might seem to require an unnecessary extra click, it gives you much more control over all downloads, including PDFs. With this selected, using the Open option will open a PDF in your preferred reader.

I can only suggest you try out the various options until you settle on the combination that serves you best.

Hello SCHHCCWinSig,

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

I followed your description to try, and I could get the same result. I think this is because https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040gi.pdf is a webpage after all, which should be opened in browser, but not in Adobe PDF Reader. Before you save the file you see into your hard drive, you have not gotten a real .pdf file, so Adobe PDF Reader won't start. Since you use Edge as the default browser, if you click this link, Edge behavior is to open the "PDF file" in an Edge tab (because in fact it is a webpage).

I understand it sounds a bit confusing. I've submitted feedback about this description:

Download PDF files to your device. If Microsoft Edge is your default PDF reader, PDF files will open automatically without downloading.

I hope it can be clearer in future versions of Edge. If you would like to, you can also submit similar feedback. The more users submit similar feedback, the sooner the issue can be brought to the attention of the developer team and get improved.

To submit feedback for Edge, open your Edge first, and then press Alt + Shift + I at the same time on your keyboard.

Thanks for helping Edge. Don't hesitate to let me know if there is any point I haven't explained clearly.

Best regards,

Yuhao Li

Microsoft Community Support Specialist