Recent changes to Google Chrome altered how PDF files are handled. My extreme preference is that PDF files are only downloaded. I will then open the file in my system default PDF viewer if needed. When I'm downloading several manuals that pertain to a specific piece of equipment, I do NOT need to view those manuals immediately. My goal is to simply download them to local storage as quickly as possible. Chrome v56 no longer allows the built-in viewer to completely disabled. The only option is to go to Settings -> Content -> tick the box that says to open the PDF file in the system default PDF application. This is NOT what I want. Quite simply, I do NOT want the PDF file to open automatically at all. Save the file; do NOT open the file. I have tried right-clicking the download link for the PDF file and selecting "Save Link as . " but that behavior has now changed as well. Specifically, most of the time, what gets downloaded is a URL rather than the PDF file. FWIW - my download setting in Chrome points to the top-level directory in my Download folder and the check box "Ask where to save download file" is ticked. Is there any way to persuade Chrome to revert back to previous behavior and just download the file to local storage?
asked Apr 2, 2017 at 5:26 Dwayne Reid Dwayne Reid 500 1 1 gold badge 6 6 silver badges 13 13 bronze badgesI thought this would be easier but I was wrong. Turns out you can disable the internal viewer but you're trading it for opening in whatever app is registered to view PDFs. Also, there are a lot of answers involving chrome://plugins which doesn't seem to be available anymore.
Commented Apr 7, 2017 at 19:40It is claimed that toggling "Open PDF files in the default PDF viewer application" off and then on again makes it work as before. I tried it and it worked for me, but only for this one session. If it doesn't work for you, try it again in incognito mode.