How to read Adobe Acrobat "PDF" files.
Some of the downloads on this site are in "PDF" format. That's a very common system for publishing information, and you'll almost certainly find it useful in the future. However, you do need to have the (free) "Reader" on your machine. Not sure if you have it already? Try this small test file - if you can read the contents, you can skip the rest of this page! Otherwise, read on...
What you have to do is to download the best version for your machine. These downloads can take quite a long time, so you may want to wait until "off-peak" charges apply.
- For most modern PCs, typically running Windows 2000, Windows XP or Vista, you should choose the newest version (8) of Acrobat Reader which you can get here. I'd advise you not to include any of the "extras" offered from time to time unless you know what they are and know that you want them. Acrobat 8 appears to be an improvement on Acrobat 6, which was rather slow in some situations. You may need to log on as an Administrator to install the Reader if your usual login doesn't have full privileges.
- For older machines, typically running Windows 98 it may be better to use an older version (5) of Acrobat Reader which you can get here. This version may not have all the bells and whistles of the latest one, but takes up less memory and can be faster to run - important if your computer is a "senior citizen". Some recent documents may not display correctly in older versions, though.
Whichever version you use, once you install Acrobat Reader your Internet browser should be able to display the content, although there will sometimes be a delay while it loads everything up.
Alternatively, you can use this online service to convert PDF documents to plain text or HTML (for viewing in a web browser).
If you want to keep a copy of a PDF document after you've opened it, there is an option to "Save a Copy" on the toolbar. Tip: If you know beforehand you want to keep a copy, right-click on the link which would take you to the document (like this link ), and choose "Save Target As...".