View PDF files with Adobe Reader and Firefox

The default application for viewing Portable Documentation Format (PDF) files on the Mac OS X operating system is called "Preview". Firefox uses Preview as its default application for opening up PDF files. Some older PDF files may not open in Preview. Adobe Reader should open up these PDF files for Mac OS X users. Follow the instructions below if you wish to set Adobe Reader as your computer's default PDF viewer in the Firefox browser.

1. Make sure that you have Adobe Reader installed on your Mac.
2. Navigate to the page that contains the PDF file you wish to open and click on the link to that file.
3. In the "Opening..." window that appears, click the "Open with" radio button.
4. Check the "Do this automatically for files like this from now on." check box.
   
5. Click the "OK" button.
6. The PDF file will open in Preview or you may receive an error message. Close whichever one you see.
7. Go back to your Firefox browser and click "Firefox" in the main menu at the top of your screen.
8. Click "Preferences..."
   
9. Click on the "Content" icon.
   
10. Under "File Types" click on the "Manage..." button.
    
11. In the "Download Actions" widow that appears look for "PDF" under the "Extension" column.
12. Click once on the PDF row to highlight it and then click the "Change Actions..." button.
    
13. In the next window, click the "Open them with this application" radio button.
    
14. You will now see a "Select Helper Application" window. In the first column click "Applications"
15. In the second column click "Adobe Reader 9".
16. In the third column click "Adobe Reader"
17. Click the "Open" button.
    
18. You will be brought back to the second of the "Download Actions" windows. Click the "OK" button.
    
19. You will now see the first "Download Actions" window. In this window you will now see "Open with Adobe Reader" under the "Actions" column.
    
20. Close the "Download Actions" window.
21. Close the Firefox "Preferences..." window.

With Firefox, your PDF files will now open with Adobe Reader. You may see the window below the first time you open a PDF file with Firefox and Adobe Reader. If you do, click the "Do not show this message again" check box and then click the "Yes" button.

From the Adobe Reader application you have the option to print or save the file to your local computer.

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