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Fastest PDF File Viewer


adobe pdfAdobe PDF is not the fastest pdf reader that is available these days even with programs like Adobe Reader Speedup which remove some of the unneeded features. There are quite a few popular alternatives like Foxit PDF Reader which provide a similar functionality but offer faster startup and loading times.

If speed is the main issue the relatively new pdf file viewer MuPDF could be an option. MuPDF is a bare-bones pdf file viewer with a low memory footprint and the fastest pdf loading times that we have experienced until now. The pdf reader is a portable Open-Source cross-platform program for Windows, Linux and Mac OS operating systems.

Users can either execute the program which will open a small file browser to pick a PDF document or link the pdf file extension to the program so that it will be automatically the viewer of choice for pdf files.

pdf file viewer

MuPDF is perfect for users who want a portable resource friendly pdf reader. It comes with a few keyboard shortcuts to navigate documents more easily but lacks the functionality of Foxit Reader or Adobe Reader.

  • L, R Rotate page in 90° increments
  • +, – Zoom in and out
  • W Shrink wrap window
  • N, space Next page
  • B, backspace Previous page
  • Shift-N Skip 10 pages forward
  • Shift-B Skip 10 pages backward
  • M Mark page for snap back
  • T Pop back to last mark
  • 123G Go to page

Not everyone needs advanced functionality but some users might miss options to copy text, search for text or print a selection of the pdf file. MuPDF on the other hand is probably the best solution for users who want to view – and only view – pdf files on their computer system without having to download and install a software program. A Firefox add-on is provided by the developer as well to view pdf documents on the Internet.




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Categories: Adobe, Linux, Mac, Windows, firefox, software


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15 Responses to “Fastest PDF File Viewer”

  1. vasiauvi says:

    I should try it although I use a good pdf reader in Linux: xpdf.
    Thanks for this MuPDF!

  2. Jon says:

    The Worst PDF app ever, be aware not to try !!!

    Only after one run, it takes over your default PDF reader,
    and the PDF icon.

    A shame for the developer that implement that !!

  3. DanTe says:

    I’m going to have to start looking into these stripped down PDF readers. They may actually provide better security. They don’t run anything. Will have to see if they’re susceptible to the same holes a full blown Adobe Reader is.

  4. tuna says:

    It’s been awhile since I looked, but Adobe PDF uses 100+(200?)MB of drive space and runs multiple services to keep it bloated and secure… to open a static pdf page.lol.

    Foxit PDF installs in under 7MB and has no annoying start-up services that re-enable themselves every time it updates.

    I’ll take MU PDF a spin and see how it compares in size and speed(to Foxit). I certainly hope it doesn’t run a service on start-up.

  5. Josep says:

    I want a replacement total for my adobe acrobat. I want just not a simple reader but a piece of software that converts web pages, doc files in pdf format.
    This kind of sofware is available?

    sorry por my poor english

    • DanTe says:

      At first glance, I would have adviced any simple software like CutePDF that will print your documents (word docs, html, et al) to a PDF file instead of the printer.

      But I’m getting the sense that you’re looking for basically the Adobe Acrobat Pro. In which case, get the Pro or try using OpenOffice from openoffice.org with plug-ins.

  6. Womble says:

    SumatraPDF is another alternative open source viewer that is rock solid & blazingly fast. Used it here for a couple of years now.

  7. raneeq says:

    I am using PDF-Xchange Viewer now. It allows me to add comments and annotations to any PDF file.

  8. yeah, I really like CutePDF, but I’ll get a try to MuPDF.

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. [...] posted here:  Fastest PDF File Viewer By admin | category: pdf software | tags: best-solution, files-on-their, firefox, [...]

  2. [...] ghacks has a story stating that a new upstart in the field, called MuPDF, is the very fastest available reader. Moreover, the reader has a few keyboard shortcuts, which make using the reader faster still. [...]

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  4. [...] Users who only want PDF reader capabilities can also take a look at Adobe Reader alternatives which are usually much faster than the original and more secure as well as they are not that targeted by hackers yet. Viable options include Foxit PDF Reader or muPDF. [...]

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