Quick Fix for PDF Opening in Edge Instead of Adobe

PDF opening in Edge instead of Adobe? That typically happens when you have just installed Adobe Acrobat. Because Microsoft Edge is Windows' default PDF viewer, your PC will use it to open your PDFs. Fortunately, this is a very simple problem. You can solve it in just a few clicks. Here, we will teach you how to do that.

We will also introduce another PDF editor that you can use: Wondershare PDFelement. It has most of the features Adobe Acrobat has but boasts a lower price.

Part 1. Why Are My PDFs Opening in Edge?

Microsoft introduced Microsoft Edge at the same time the company launched Windows 10. This has been the default web browser since then. But it's not just a web browser. Like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge can open and edit PDFs. So, Microsoft Edge also became the default PDF editor on Windows 10, 10.5, 11, and 12 computers.

There are pros and cons to having Microsoft Edge as your PDF editor. Microsoft Edge is 100% free - that is the biggest plus. But do not underestimate it just because it is free. Microsoft Edge lets you add text, highlight text, and freehand draw on the PDF. Moreover, you can use Microsoft Edge to fill up forms. But its best feature is the AI Copilot. You can use that to generate a document summary, insights, find answers, and more.

However, this set of features is still smaller compared to the set of actual PDF tools. For example, Microsoft Edge does not let you add or edit images in the PDF. It does not have a compress feature or a convert feature. That is just the start of it. Expectedly, many people still choose to install PDF software programs like Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. But many are shocked that PDFs still open with Microsoft Edge after they installed Adobe.

Part 2. How To Stop PDF From Opening in Microsoft Edge?

First, you have to install another program that can view PDFs. Then, you can right-click each PDF and choose to open it with your preferred PDF editor or viewer. It works, but it is inconvenient to have to do that for every PDF that you need to open.

So, what should you do instead? You should adjust your device's settings. There's something called "Default apps" in a Windows PC's settings. You can set what program your computer will use for opening a file of a specific format. For PDFs, it is set to Microsoft Edge by default. That said, all you need to do is to change Microsoft Edge to Adobe.

Part 3. How To Open PDF in Adobe Not Edge?

In this section, you will learn how to change your default app for opening a PDF from Edge to Adobe.

1. Press the Start button or the Windows key on your keyboard.
2. Click Settings.

3. Click Apps.

4. On the new window, click Default Apps.
5. Scroll down and click Choose default apps by file type.

6. Scroll down until you find PDF of the leftmost panel.
7. Click Microsoft Edge next to the PDF category.

8. Select Adobe Acrobat on the pop-up window.

Part 4. How To Stop Edge Opening PDFs and Open PDFs in PDFelement

It is no secret that Adobe Acrobat is one of the most advanced PDF editors out there. But you can't expect a program that powerful to be cheap. It's a bit pricey. So, you may want a more budget-friendly option. If that is the case, you should check Wondershare PDFelement - an affordable PDF solution.

Wondershare PDFelement is not as advanced as Adobe Acrobat, but it is still feature-rich. You can use it to create and edit PDFs, fill up forms, convert, compress, or compare PDFs, and more. Also, Wondershare PDFelement has AI integration. That said, it is a bang for the buck.

Here is how to open PDFs in Wondershare PDFelement instead of Microsoft Edge. You can follow the same steps provided above or follow this alternative method:

1. Click Start or press the Windows key on your keyboard.
2. Type "Default apps" and press Enter.

3. Click Default apps.
4. Scroll down until you find the PDF file type.
5. Click Microsoft Edge.
6. Select Wondershare PDFelement on the pop-up window.

Part 5. PDF Opener Comparison Table: Microsoft Edge VS. Adobe V.S. Wondershare PDFelement

Here is a direct comparison between Wondershare PDFelement, Microsoft Edge, and Adobe Acrobat. We scrutinized their PDF viewing and editing capabilities. AI features are also big on PDF editors now. Thus, we also looked at what AI features these PDF viewers have to offer. Of course, we also included a price comparison between the three tools.

Conclusion

If your PDF opens in Edge instead of Adobe, it means you still have Edge as your default PDF viewer. You can solve this problem in just a few seconds. You just need to visit your Windows PC's settings. Then, select your preferred app for opening PDFs.

Suppose you want a PDF editor more powerful than Microsoft Edge but cheaper than Adobe Acrobat. That description perfectly fits Wondershare PDFelement. It offers amazing PDF viewing and editing features and even has AI features. You can also use Wondershare PDFelement for PDF compression or conversion, while Microsoft Edge can't do that. And because Wondershare PDFelement has such an intuitive design, you will easily learn how to use it. Truly, this is the best PDF solution in the market.