Why don't you need Adobe Reader anymore?

Adobe Acrobat Reader is not just unnecessary. This PDF tool used to be an application that many people didn't want to have on their system. Adobe Acrobat Reader carries many notoriety, ranging from heavy and slow to a long list of security flaws. For many users, Acrobat Reader is simply overkill for reading PDF documents.

So the question is do you need to install Adobe Acrobat Reader anymore? Or are there better Adobe Acrobat Reader alternatives for reading PDF files?

Is Adobe Acrobat Reader safe?

Adobe Acrobat Reader also has a history of vulnerabilities. Security incidents in 2006, 2009, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018 required serious and immediate patching to eliminate critical vulnerabilities. Most of the vulnerabilities stem from a JavaScript vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat Reader, which allows attackers to exploit the program to gain access to the server and, in some cases, execute code remotely.

So is Adobe Acrobat Reader safe? If you keep Adobe Acrobat Reader up to date, you should be safe. Adobe pushes updates to its apps on the first Tuesday of each month. One thing you can do to increase security is to adjust the JavaScript settings of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Why don't you need Adobe Reader anymore? Picture 1

1. Go to Menu > Preferences . Alternatively, press CTRL + K on the Adobe Acrobat Reader home page.
2. Select JavaScript from Categories.
3. In the JavaScript Security window , edit the options for managing JavaScript.

If you want to disable JavaScript completely, uncheck Enable Acrobat JavaScript .

The Best Adobe Acrobat Reader Alternatives

Adobe Acrobat Reader allows you to view and print PDF files. But your browser can do exactly the same without you having to download and install an additional program. If you want to try a new PDF reader, check out the best PDF readers for Windows, including:

1. : Sumatra PDF is an open source, low-resource alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader. Although it lacks advanced editing features, it supports quick PDF viewing, tabbed browsing and keyboard shortcuts, and can handle , , .
2. : Foxit Reader is one of the best Adobe Acrobat Reader alternatives, offering lots of features without the constraints. Some advanced features have migrated to its licensed tool over the years, but the intuitive toolbar interface remains, along with many other useful features.
3. : STDU Viewer can be used with many document formats, including , PDF, DjVu, XPS, JBIG2 and WWF. It also features tabbed browsing, bookmarks, highlights and split windows. One of the standout features of STDU Viewer is the option to invert the colors, which helps to reduce eye strain. While it has fewer features than some of its competitors, STDU Viewer is lightweight, making it a great tool for reading PDFs.

Above are some of the best Adobe Acrobat Reader alternatives, some of which include the same functionality as Adobe Acrobat Pro.

You already know why you don't really need Adobe Acrobat Reader anymore. Internet browsers have built-in PDF viewers and countless free PDF reader alternatives, you have a lot to choose from. Since most PDFs are just documents meant to be viewed in a specific format - that's what PDFs do, after all - most of the alternative PDF viewers on this list will offer a similar experience. self if not better.

Kareem Winters

Update 27 June 2023