Installing PDF Plugin for Chrome

PDF files are used extensively to consume text and media content on a daily basis. Opening them inside web browsers is enabled by plug-ins. It can be quite frustrating if PDFs do not open properly in the browser, and the less tech-savvy users may not be able to figure what exactly the problem is. This common complaint can be heard from Google Chrome users. The latest version of this web browser comes with a built-in PDF viewer for opening PDF files. If this has been disabled, then Chrome uses Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat to display PDF files.

If you are experiencing problems viewing PDFs using the PDF viewer, you can disable it and choose Adobe Reader. All you have to do is type ‘about: plugins’ in the address bar, locate the “Chrome PDF Viewer” and click on “Disable”. After this, the Adobe Reader plug-in can be enabled. How can you install PDF plug-in for Chrome? Read on to find out.

PDF Plugin Installation for Chrome

You can copy the Adobe PDF plugin very easily, all you have to do is follow the given steps, and you will be able to view PDFs without any hassles. Start by creating a ‘Plugins’ folder (if it doesn’t exist); here is the step by step procedure.

1. Choose the location: Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat(version number)\Acrobat\Browser

2. The file called nppdf32.dll will have to be copied next. This file executes the ‘print’ and ‘view’ functions for the PDF files in Adobe Acrobat. It enables this software to run a plug -in in the browser for direct viewing of PDF files.

3. If Windows XP is running on your system, choose the location C:\Documents and Settings\(username)\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\(Version Number)\. If the ‘Plugins’ folder does not exist at that location, then you need to create one by the same name. In this folder, paste the nppdf32.dll file. Exit from the browser and then restart it. After this, check if the PDF files are opening properly.

4. If Windows 7 or Windows Vista is running on your system, choose the location (username)\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\. If the ‘Plugins’ folder does not exist at that location, then you need to create one by the same name. In this folder, paste the nppdf32.dll file. Quit Google Chrome, restart it and try opening the PDF files.

If you are unsuccessful in accessing PDF files with the Adobe plugin, then there is a second solution that you can opt for. Here’s a look at it.

Installing Foxit Reader, an Alternative PDF File Viewer

One of the alternate pdf viewers is Foxit, which is available for free. However, in order to install Foxit for Chrome, you will need the latest version of Firefox; this is because Foxit will disallow the installation of npFoxitReaderPlugin.dll without Firefox.

1. Choose the location C:\Program Files\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\plugins. Here, you will find npFoxitReaderPlugin.dll and FoxitReaderOCX.ocx.

2. Copy both and paste them to C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\Plugins. If this ‘Plugins’ folder is not already present at the location, create one first.

3. If you don’t want Firefox, you can proceed to de-install it.

4. Restart Google Chrome and check if the PDFs are opening properly