Stop Edge from taking control of PDF's permanently!!!

Anonymous
2021-01-20T05:56:56+00:00

I am very frustrated with Microsoft Edge continuously hijacking PDFs.  I run Adobe Acrobat and need to have the tools.  I have tried the standard ways of setting Adobe as the default program for PDFs - through Control Panel, through Properties of the file, through Open with.  None of these work for even an hour.

I have also tried a couple of hacks through Regedit that seem to work for others but not for me.

I am at the stage that if i could I would uninstall Edge.

So, how can I permanently set Adobe as the default program for PDFs?

Microsoft Edge | Read PDFs | Windows 10

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

42 answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2021-01-21T03:23:27+00:00

    Hi Greg.

    It has always been listed there.  I keep changing it and it keeps changing back - four times so far this morning!

    Was this answer helpful?

    20+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2021-01-21T01:53:20+00:00

    I am very frustrated with Microsoft Edge continuously hijacking PDFs.

    Just to set the record straight, Edge isn't hijacking anything. Windows 10 has a number of default apps for a few things so the user is never left high and dry. Since XP days, there has been a default browser, a default media player, a default mail client (except for in Windows 7, and that caused untold angst for hordes of users), and later, after Adobe released the PDF standard to open-source, a default PDF reader. Following all the expensive hullabaloo about browser choice, the concept of user choice was introduced. 

    When a user changes a default app - using the Default appssettings page, or by selecting Always use this app ... in a file-open dialogue - the association is registered in key called UserChoice. Now, if an app comes along and tries to register itself as the default for a file type, Windows will reject this attempt to interfere with the inviolate User Choice and restore the Windows default. For PDF files, that is Edge. This mechanism also prevents malicious, accidentally-downloaded apps from making changes like this.

    Older versions of Adobe Acrobat regularly try to reassert the program as the PDF default, causing the change you observe. This was corrected in later versions (released 2018 onwards), so the solution is to upgrade Acrobat to the latest version.

    I have the latest version of Adobe (that is when the problems started) and have done the standard way of changing the association (through Control Panel | Default Programs).  I have also done so through right clicking on the PDF and changing the association that way.

    Whatever I do I am in the same frustrating situation - I have been working on this desktop for just over two hours now and three times have had to reset the association back to Adobe.

    I just want Edge to back off and let me use the product that I have paid good money for.

    Was this answer helpful?

    60+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2021-01-20T22:58:55+00:00

    I am very frustrated with Microsoft Edge continuously hijacking PDFs.

    Just to set the record straight, Edge isn't hijacking anything. Windows 10 has a number of default apps for a few things so the user is never left high and dry. Since XP days, there has been a default browser, a default media player, a default mail client (except for in Windows 7, and that caused untold angst for hordes of users), and later, after Adobe released the PDF standard to open-source, a default PDF reader. Following all the expensive hullabaloo about browser choice, the concept of user choice was introduced. 

    When a user changes a default app - using the Default apps settings page, or by selecting Always use this app ... in a file-open dialogue - the association is registered in key called UserChoice. Now, if an app comes along and tries to register itself as the default for a file type, Windows will reject this attempt to interfere with the inviolate User Choice and restore the Windows default. For PDF files, that is Edge. This mechanism also prevents malicious, accidentally-downloaded apps from making changes like this.

    Older versions of Adobe Acrobat regularly try to reassert the program as the PDF default, causing the change you observe. This was corrected in later versions (released 2018 onwards), so the solution is to upgrade Acrobat to the latest version.

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  4. Brink 16,665 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2021-01-20T19:42:02+00:00

    Hello Lester,

    In addition, you can turn on Always open PDF files externally in Microsoft Edge using the tutorial below to stop PDF files from opening in Microsoft Edge by default.

    https://www.windowsq.com/t/how-to-enable-or-disable-open-pdf-files-in-microsoft-edge.600/

    Of course, you need to set a default app you want other than Microsoft Edge to open PDF files instead.

    https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5507-choose-default-apps-windows-10-a.html

    Was this answer helpful?

    4 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2021-01-20T18:04:44+00:00

    Is Adobe not listed as a choice in Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Choose Default File Type > PDF?

    Try reinstalling to see if it shows up.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments