About the PDF Viewer Preferences
A PDF can tell the reader how to open it: on which page, at what zoom, in one-page or two-page layout, with the bookmarks or thumbnails panel showing, or in full screen. It can also ask to show the document title instead of the file name, hide toolbars, read right to left, and print at actual size. This tool reads the PDF's current settings, lets you change them, and saves them back without touching the pages. These are the same Initial View settings Adobe Acrobat offers in Document Properties.
Updated October 2026
How to use the PDF Viewer Preferences
- 1Select a PDF.
- 2Choose the page layout and what to show when it opens.
- 3Set the opening page and zoom.
- 4Tick the window and print options you want.
- 5Press Save settings in PDF and download it.
Good combinations
A few settings work well together.
- Brochures and books: two pages with cover, fit whole page
- Manuals: open with bookmarks panel
- Presentations: full screen, fit whole page
- Forms and plans: print scaling None
What is changed
Only a few entries in the PDF's catalogue are written: the page layout, page mode, opening action and viewer preferences. Pages, text and signatures' content stay untouched, though a digital signature will show the file was changed.
Starting page and zoom
Opening on a specific page is useful for documents with a long front matter. Fit the whole page suits reading; Fit width suits text-heavy documents on wide screens; Actual size is best for checking print layouts.
Reading direction
Right to left makes two-page spreads show in the right order for Arabic, Hebrew and Japanese documents.
Window options
Hiding the toolbar, menu bar and controls gives a clean, kiosk-like view for presentations and displays. Fit window resizes the reader window to the first page, and centre window places it in the middle of the screen. Readers may still let people bring the toolbars back.
Undoing the settings
Press Reset to defaults and save again to remove the requests, so the reader uses its own settings. The tool removes the opening action and layout entries completely rather than leaving empty values.
Phone and computer
You can set preferences on any device, but they matter most in desktop PDF readers. To add a table of contents in the same file, use Bookmark PDF, and read the result with PDF Viewer.
Features
- Page layout: single, continuous, two-page
- Open at any page and zoom
- Bookmarks, thumbnails or full screen
- Document title in the window bar
- Right-to-left reading
- Print scaling and duplex
Frequently asked questions
Will every reader follow these settings?
Adobe Acrobat and most desktop readers do. Browser viewers and phone apps often ignore some of them, especially window options.
How do I make a PDF open as a two-page spread?
Choose Two pages, cover page on its own, which shows the cover alone and then facing pages, like a printed book.
How do I make a presentation open in full screen?
Choose Full screen under When the PDF opens. Acrobat may ask the reader to allow it.
What does Show the document title do?
The window shows the title from the PDF's properties instead of the file name. Set the title with our PDF Metadata Editor.
What does print scaling None do?
It asks the printer dialog to print at actual size instead of shrinking to fit, which matters for forms, labels and scale drawings.
Does it work with password-protected PDFs?
Remove the password first with our Unlock PDF tool, then come back.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. Everything happens in your browser, so the PDF stays on your device.
Does it change my pages?
No. Only the settings that tell readers how to open the file are changed; the pages, text and images stay exactly as they were.
Can I see the current settings first?
Yes. The tool reads the PDF and fills in the form with its current settings before you change anything.