Why won't pdf files in SharePoint 2016 open in Client Application (Adobe Acrobat Reader)?

Question

I created a document library with "open in the client application" selected in SharePoint 2016. Browser File handling is set to "Strict" for the Web Application and Site Collection Feature for "Open Documents in Client Application by Default" is activated. PDF files still open in the browser when using EDGE Chromium and Chrome but open in Adobe Acrobat Reader when using IE11. Excel spreadsheets in the same folder open directly in Excel and word documents in the same folder open directly in Word. I do have an Office Online server in the farm.

How can I make PDF files open in Adobe Acrobat Reader from SharePoint 2016 when using Edge Chromium or Chrome?

Answer 1

Hello @C1TonyB ,

Adobe created an ActiveX control for IE, which allows Acrobat/Reader to open PDF files in an application(Adobe Acrobat Reader).

Adobe also provides a Chrome plugin control for the Chrome(which should also work with Edge), which allows users to open PDF files in desktop application under the right circumstances.

However, the Office Online Server opens the PDF files as Word documents, the plugin control will not working.

Thanks,
Echo Du

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