Frequently asked questions

Q. What is Adobe Reader?

A. Adobe® Reader® is free, universal software that lets you open, view, search, and print Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files with built-in security features. To date, more than 500 million copies of Adobe Reader have been distributed worldwide on 23 platforms and 26 languages.

Q. Can I add comments to a PDF file with Adobe Reader?

A. PDF authors using Adobe LiveCycle™ enterprise server and design software can activate special features in their documents that provide additional functionality. These enabled Adobe PDF files allow people with Adobe Reader to save the file to a local hard drive, fill out forms, add comments and other markups, share it with others, and submit a completed document electronically. In addition, Adobe PDF files can be enabled to allow people to digitally sign, certify, and authenticate a document.

Q. Do I need Adobe Acrobat to use Adobe Reader?

A. No. Adobe Reader is a stand-alone application that you can use to open, view, search, and print PDF files, such as those created by Adobe Acrobat or Adobe LiveCycle software.

Q. How do I download Adobe Reader?

A. Visit the Adobe Reader download page or the Adobe Reader main page on Adobe.com. You can also download Adobe Reader wherever you see the Get Adobe Reader icon. Once you have clicked the link or icon, you will be led through easy steps that allow you to identify your language, platform, and connection type. Once you have completed this simple process, the Adobe Reader software downloads and installs automatically on your system.

Q. Why should I upgrade to Adobe Reader 7.0?

A. This new version of Adobe Reader provides better overall performance for faster launch times and real-time zooming and panning. You benefit from improved search features and a unified selection tool. Adobe Reader 7.0 lets you fill out and submit PDF forms with spell-checking (full version only) and save a wide range of files attached to PDF documents, including word processing documents, spreadsheets, and multimedia files. You can also view and organize digital editions (formerly eBooks) and view them in landscape or portrait mode