How to View PDF Files on an Android Phone

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: February 7, 2022 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to open PDF files on an Android smartphone. The easiest way to do this is by installing the free Adobe Acrobat Reader app, which will allow you to open downloaded PDF files as well as PDF files sent as attachments via email. You can also use the free Google Drive app to open PDF files on your Android.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Installing Adobe Acrobat Reader

1
Open the
Google Play Store. This app resembles a multicolored triangle on a white background, and can be found in the App Drawer.
- If your Google Play Store is divided into more than one app, tap the Google Play Store Games one.
It's at the top of the screen.
Doing so will prompt a drop-down menu with matching search results to appear below the search bar.
It's the Adobe logo, which should be the top result in the drop-down menu. This will open the Adobe Acrobat Reader page.
5
Tap INSTALL. This green button is on the right side of the screen. Doing so prompts the Adobe Acrobat Reader app to begin downloading.
- You may have to tap ACCEPT when prompted to cause the app to begin downloading.
Once the download is complete, you can proceed with opening a downloaded PDF file or opening an online PDF file.

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Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Opening Downloaded PDF Files

Tap OPEN in the Google Play Store, or tap the triangular, red-and-white Adobe Acrobat Reader app icon in the App Drawer.
Swipe from right to left until you arrive at the final page of the tutorial.
It's a blue button at the bottom of the page.
4
Tap the LOCAL tab. You'll find this option at the top of the screen. Doing so will pull up a list of all local PDF files on your Android.
- This method works if you've downloaded the PDF onto your Android but have been unable to open it. If the PDF isn't on your Android, you'll need to use the next method.
This will allow Adobe Acrobat to access your Android's storage.
6
Refresh the page. Swipe down from the middle of the screen, then allow the LOCAL tab to refresh.
- It may take several minutes for Adobe Acrobat Reader to find your downloaded PDF files, so be patient.
Tap the PDF that you want to open. It will open immediately, allowing you to view its contents.

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Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Opening Online PDF Files

1
Go to a PDF online. Open an app or a browser's web page that contains a PDF which you want to view.
- For example, if you want to open a PDF file that was sent as an attachment in an email, you might open the Gmail app and then open the email in question.
2
Select the PDF. Tap the PDF attachment or link to prompt it to open.
- If you're tapping a PDF in Google Chrome, doing so will open the PDF, allowing you to skip the rest of this method. You can still download the PDF by tapping the Download
  button.
3
Tap Adobe Acrobat Reader when prompted. It should be in a pop-up menu asking which program you want to use for this link or attachment.
- If Adobe Acrobat Reader is your only PDF reader, you won't be prompted—Adobe Acrobat Reader will just open. If so, skip this step and the next one.
Doing so will both set Adobe Acrobat Reader as your Android's default PDF viewer and open the PDF in it.
Especially if this is your first time using Adobe Acrobat Reader, this may take several seconds. Once the PDF opens, you're free to view it like any other PDF.
6
Download a PDF that won't open. If you can't get a PDF that's in a browser or an app, do the following based on the type of file it is:
- Email attachment — Tap the Download
  button on the PDF's preview, then confirm the choice and/or select a save location if prompted.
- Web link — Tap the link, tap ⋮ in the top-right corner, tap Download, and then confirm the choice and/or select a save location if prompted.
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Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Using Google Drive

1
Install Google Drive if you don't already have it. Like Chrome, Google Drive can be used to view PDF documents, though the documents must be uploaded to Google Drive before you can do so. To install Google Drive, open the
Google Play Store, then do the following:
- Tap the search bar.
- Type in google drive, then tap Google Drive in the resulting drop-down menu.
- Tap INSTALL, then tap ACCEPT if prompted.
Tap the Google Drive app icon, which resembles a green, yellow, and blue triangle, or tap OPEN in the Google Play Store if you just installed Google Drive. This will open the Google Drive sign-in page.
3
Sign into your account. Tap the account with which you want to use Google Drive, then enter your password if prompted.
- If you only have one Google account on your Android, you might be signed in automatically.
- If you already had Google Drive installed and signed in on your Android, skip this step and the next step.
It's in the bottom-left corner of the screen. Doing so skips the Google Drive tutorial and takes you to your Google Drive folder.
5
Add a PDF to Google Drive. This process varies depending on whether the PDF is on a computer or your Android:
- Desktop — Go to https://drive.google.com/ and sign in, then click New, click File upload, select your PDF, and click Open (Windows) or Choose (Mac).
- Android — Tap +, tap Upload, select your PDF, and tap ALLOW if prompted.
Find the PDF you uploaded, then tap it. The PDF will open in Google Drive, allowing you to peruse it as needed.

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Question

What should I do if I am trying to open a pay stub document and it is asking me for a PDF password?

Community Answer

You will need to ask the sender for the password. The document might have been password protected accidentally.

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I'm on Samsung Galaxy s2. I downloaded a PDF file onto the File Manager. When I touch to open it, I get a message reading: "This file has been already been opened." Okay. So where is the file? Please help. Thanks.

Community Answer

You should be able to find the edited PDF file in the preinstalled Downloads app, but if you don't see it immediately, look under Other Downloads. If that doesn't work, try downloading a file manager such as ES File Explorer. From there, you should be able to find PDF files that have been downloaded to your SD card. You can learn more about such software by performing an online search for "Android file managers."

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I have downloaded a PDF file from Google. I used to easily find these files in my files download folder, but now I'm not finding there. I am really confused. If I see that downloaded file via the Internet, I can see it in the drive, but I want to save that download file. How is it possible? Please kindly tell me the solution. I will be glad. Thank you.

Community Answer

While it's a bit unclear what precisely is causing your difficulty, your best solution would be downloading a file manager that would allow you to organize your PDF files into folders and access them accordingly. You can learn more about such software by performing an online search for "Android file managers."

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Tips

Adobe Acrobat Reader will be your default PDF viewer if you've never installed a different PDF-viewing app.

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Warnings

Adobe Acrobat Reader is free, but you'll need to pay for the premium version if you want to edit PDFs.^{[1]
X
Research source}

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