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View PDF Files

Open a Local PDF File

Open a Local PDF File

Please choose one of the following to open a local PDF file with Foxit Reader:

Open a PDF File from Foxit Drive

If you have saved PDF files in Foxit Drive, you can open the PDF file from Foxit Drive with Foxit Reader by the following steps:

Tip:

Read PDF Files in Multiple Instances

By default, Foxit Reader displays multiple PDF files in different tabs in a single instance. However, you can enable multiple instances mode to view PDF files in multiple instances when double-click to open PDF files, which is ideal for reading PDF side by side.

To enable multiple instances mode, go to Foxit Reader > Preferences > Documents, check the Allow multiple instances option in Open Setting group, and click OK to apply the setting. While in multiple instances mode, you can revert to single instance mode by redoing the steps and unchecking the Allow multiple instances option.

Adjust PDF Views

Change the Page Display Mode

Single Page: Display one page at a time.

Continuous: Display the pages in a continuous vertical column.

Facing: Display two pages side by side at a time.

Continuous Facing: Display facing pages side by side in a continuous vertical column.

Separate Cover Page: Display the cover page separately. This option is only available when you select Facing or Continuous Facing mode.

Tip: Alternatively, you can choose View > Page Display, and then select the desired mode from the drop-down menu.

Read a PDF in Full Screen Mode (macOS Only)

In Full Screen mode, Foxit Reader Document Pane fills the entire screen, with Menu Bar and Navigation pane hidden behind. The mouse pointer remains active in Full Screen mode so that you can click links.

Set Full Screen Preferences

Before reading a PDF file in Full Screen mode, you can set the Full Screen preferences which include appearances, transitions, and panels that can be shown in the Full Screen mode.

Enter and Exit Full Screen Mode

Resize the Page View

Use the Zoom tools in the Common Tools toolbar to adjust the zoom level of the page.

Zoom Out: Zoom out of the page.

Zoom In: Zoom in the page for a clearer view.

Zoom To: Resize the page to a specific zoom levelor make the page fit the window.

Actual Size: Display the page in its actual size.

Fit Page: Resize the page to fit entirely in the document pane.

Fit Width: Resize the page to fit the width of the window. Part of the page may be out of view.

Fit Visible: Resize the page to make the text and images fit the visible width of the window, removing the margins.

Tip: Alternatively, you can choose View > Zoom, and then choose one option from the drop-down menu to adjust the zoom level. In macOS, you can also pinch with two fingers to zoom in or out on the PDF file with the Mac trackpad.

Rotate the Page View

Do one of the following to rotate the view of the document pages:

Note: Foxit Reader allows you to rotate pages in 90-degree increments. Pages are rotated for viewing purposes only, and no changes to page orientation will be saved to the PDF file.

Change the Page Background Color

Do one of the following to change the page background color:

1. From the Preferences

2. From the document pane

View PDF/A Files

By default, Foxit Reader will open PDF/A-compliant documents in PDF/A mode (i.e. read-only mode) to prevent modification. When you open a PDF/A-compliant document, a notification message will be displayed. To work with PDF/A files, do the following:

Search and Find Text

Use the Find tools in the Common Tools toolbar to search and find text.

Take a Snapshot of Selected PDF Contents

Use the Snapshot tool to take a snapshot of selected PDF contents and paste it in other applications.

Navigate PDF Files

Jump to a Specific Page

Use the page navigation tools in the Common Tools toolbar to jump to a specific page easily.

Page indicator: Shows the current page and the total number of pages of the opened PDF file. You can input the page number and press Enter to jump to the page specified.

Previous Page: Jump to the previous page.

Next Page: Jump to the next page.

Tip: Alternatively, you can go to View > Go to, and then choose one option from the drop-down menu to jump to a specific page. From the drop-down menu, you can also choose to jump to the first page or the last page of the PDF file.

Jump to the Previous View or Next View

Do one of the following to go to the preview view or next view:

Jump to a Specific Chapter by Bookmark

Additional actions in the Bookmarks panel:

Add a bookmark: Save the current view as a bookmark.

Delete the bookmark: Delete the selected bookmark.

Expand/Collapse: Expand or collapse all bookmarks.

Jump to a Page by Thumbnail

Additional actions in the Pages panel:

Enlarge Page Thumbnail: Enlarge the size of the page thumbnail.

Reduce Page Thumbnail: Reduce the size of the page thumbnail.

Rectangle box: The red rectangle box shows the current visible area of the page. You can drag and move the red rectangle box to move to another location on the current page. Besides, you can drag the resize handle on the bottom right corner of the red box to resize the visible area of the current page.

Open a File Attachment

Open a file attachment embedded in a PDF file

Additional actions in the Attachments panel:

Add Attachment: Add a file attachment to the PDF file.

Settings: Manage file attachment security settings in the Preferences.

Open a file attachment pinned in the PDF file

The file attachment pinned in the PDF file is usually displayed with a pin icon. You can double-click the pin icon to open it with Foxit Reader.