Enabling Acrobat Reader & Troubleshooting Fillable Forms

When using Hosted PDF Forms your end users will need the Adobe Reader plugin installed and set as the default. The instructions below explain how to do this in the major browsers:

Google Chrome

In Chrome you want to disable the Chrome PDF plug-in to have the Adobe program open the PDFs.
To download the latest version of Google
Chrome: https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser
• Go to the internet using your Chrome browser.
• Type chrome://plugins in the browser address.
• Look through the list and find the Chrome PDF viewer – and disable it. The Adobe Reader plug-in will automatically be enabled, if you have it installed.

Firefox

Firefox (Mac)

To download the most up to date version of Firefox: http://www.mozilla.com/enUS/firefox

• At the top of the Firefox window, click on “Firefox” in the top left corner.
• Select “Preferences”.
• Find Portable Document Format (PDF) in the list and click on it to select it.
• Click “Use Adobe Reader”.

Firefox (Windows)

To download the most up to date version of Firefox: http://www.mozilla.com/enUS/firefox

• At the top of the Firefox window, on the far left, click on “Firefox”.
• Select “Add ons”.
• In the Add ons screen, select “Plugins”.
• Find “Adobe Acrobat” and choose “Always Activate”.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

To download the latest version of Microsoft Internet
Explorer: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/ie

• Open Internet Explorer.
• At the top of the screen, choose Tools> Manage Add-ons.
• Under Add-on Types, select Toolbars and Extensions.
• In the Show menu on the left, select “All add-ons”.
• In the list of add-ons, select Adobe PDF Reader (Note: If you do not see the

Adobe PDF Reader add-on, try the other menu options. For example, on some systems, the add-on appears when you select “Run Without Permission”).  

Click “Enable” to allow the Adobe PDF Reader add-on to open PDFs in the browser.

Safari (Mac)

To download the latest version of Safari: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1531

Make Acrobat or Reader the default viewer for PDFs

• In Finder, select a PDF, and choose File > Get Info.
• Click the arrow next to “Open With” to expose the product menu.
• Choose either Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader from the application menu.
• Click the “Change All” button.
• When asked if you want to change all similar documents, click Continue.

Windows (outside of a browser)

• Launch Adobe Reader (generally located in “programs”) from the Start menu.
• Select “Edit” on the top menu.
• Select “Preferences” at the bottom of the list.
• Select “Internet” and look at the options. Place a checkmark next to “Display PDF in browser”.

Mac (outside of a browser)

• Launch Adobe Reader from Finder.
• Open preferences from the Adobe Reader menu.
• Go to the “Internet” section, and look at the options. Place a checkmark next to “Display PDF in browser using:” and select Adobe Reader from the list.

If you try again and the form still does not open in your browser, or you continue to receive error messages, please return to the browser information. If you are having