How to Stop Microsoft Edge from Being Default PDF Reader
With recent Canary releases, Microsoft has changed Edge Chromium so it has become the default PDF reader app in Windows 10. It now handles PDF file associations. Here's how to revert this change.
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You might want to stop Edge to work as your default PDF viewer in order to switch to an external application like Adobe Reader.
To Stop Microsoft Edge from Being Default PDF Reader,
- Open Settings.
- Go to System -> Defaults Apps in Windows 10 Anniversary Update and below. In Windows 10 Creators Update, go to Apps -> Default apps.
- Scroll down to the link Choose default apps by file type and click it.
- Find the .pdf file extension on the left side. On the right side, select a new application to open PDF files with.
That's it. The built-in PDF reader will be disabled in Microsoft Edge.
As you may already know, Microsoft is currently using three channels to deliver updates to Edge Insiders. The Canary channel receives updates daily (except Saturday and Sunday), the Dev channel is getting updates weekly, and the Beta channel is updated every 6 weeks. The stable channel is also on its way to users.
Actual Microsoft Edge Versions
The actual pre-release versions of Edge Chromium at the moment of this writing are as follows:
- Beta Channel: 78.0.276.20
- Dev Channel: 79.0.308.1 (see the change log)
- Canary Channel: 79.0.315.0
I have covered many Edge tricks and features in the following post:
Hands-on with the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge
Also, see the following updates.
- Edge Chromium Receives Weather Forecast and Greetings on New Tab Page
- Edge Removes The Block Option from Media AutoPlay Blocking
- Edge Chromium: Tab Freezing, High Contrast Mode Support
- Edge Chromium: Block Third-party Cookies for InPrivate Mode, Extension Access to Search
- Microsoft Gradually Gets Rid of Rounded UI in Edge Chromium
- Edge Now Allows Disabling Feedback Smiley Button
- Block Potentially Unwanted Apps For Downloads in Microsoft Edge
- Global Media Controls in Microsoft Edge Receive a Dismiss Button
- Microsoft Edge: New AutoPlay Blocking Options, Updated Tracking Prevention
- Turn Off News Feed on New Tab Page in Microsoft Edge
- Enable Extensions Menu Button in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Remove Feedback Smiley Button in Microsoft Edge
- Microsoft Edge Will No Longer Support ePub
- Latest Microsoft Edge Canary Features Tab Hover Cards
- Microsoft Edge Now De-Elevates Itself Automatically
- Microsoft Details Edge Chromium Roadmap
- Microsoft Enables Global Media Controls in Microsoft Edge
- How to Use Cloud Powered Voices in Microsoft Edge Chormium
- Microsoft Edge Chromium: Never Translate, Prepopulate Find with Text Selection
- Enable Caret Browsing in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Enable IE Mode in Chromium Edge
- Stable Update Channel Made its First Appearance for Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Receives an Updated Password Reveal Button
- What are Controlled Feature Roll-outs in Microsoft Edge
- Edge Canary Adds New InPrivate Text Badge, New Sync Options
- Microsoft Edge Chromium: Clear Browsing Data on Exit
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Now Allows Switching Theme
- Microsoft Edge: Support for Windows Spell Checker in Chromium Engine
- Microsoft Edge Chromium: Prepopulate Find with Text Selection
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Gets Tracking Prevention Settings
- Microsoft Edge Chromium: Change Display Language
- Group Policy Templates for Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Microsoft Edge Chromium: Pin Sites To Taskbar, IE Mode
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Will Allow Uninstalling PWAs as Desktop Apps
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Includes YouTube Video Info in Volume Control OSD
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Canary Features Dark Mode Improvements
- Show Icon Only for Bookmark in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Autoplay Video Blocker is coming to Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Microsoft Edge Chromium is Receiving New Tab Page Customization Options
- Enable Microsoft Search in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Grammar Tools Are Now Available in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Now Follows System Dark Theme
- Here’s how Microsoft Edge Chromium looks on macOS
- Microsoft Edge Chromium now installs PWAs in the root of the Start menu
- Enable Translator in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Dynamically Changes Its User Agent
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Warns When Running as Administrator
- Change Search Engine In Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Hide or Show Favorites Bar in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Install Chrome Extensions in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Enable Dark Mode in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Chrome Features Removed and Replaced by Microsoft in Edge
- Microsoft Released Chromium-based Edge Preview Versions
- Chromium-Based Edge to Support 4K and HD Video Streams
- Microsoft Edge Insider extension now available in Microsoft Store
- Hands-on with the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge
- Microsoft Edge Insider Addons Page Revealed
- Microsoft Translator is Now Integrated with Microsoft Edge Chromium
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Edge is stubborn, and this fix does not work very long. Somehow Edge manages to restore its association with pdf-files.