Windows – PDFs keep automatically downloading in Chrome — how to stop

adobe-acrobatdownloadgoogle-chromepdfwindows 10

In Windows 10, Chrome 83 now automatically downloads PDFs anytime I click a PDF link or click to download a PDF email attachment. This is also happening in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC v2018.011.20058.

Previously, the PDF would open directly in Chrome or a window would pop-up providing me an opportunity to pick the save location. I am not aware of any preferences being manually changed, and I do not believe any major updates have occurred.

How do I make PDFs no longer automatically download and instead provide me a browser window to choose my save location?

WHAT I'VE TRIED (and that has NOT worked):

  • Chrome > Settings > Privacy & Security > Site Settings > Additional Content Settings > PDF Documents > UNCHECK Download PDF files instead of automatically opening them in Chrome

  • Chrome > Settings > Advanced > Downloads > CHECK Ask where to save each file before downloading

  • Acrobat > Preferences > Internet > Web browser options > Use your browser to control viewing of PDF documents directly in the browser using Adobe Acrobat Reader or Adobe Acrobat. The following adobe product is currently available for use by browsers: AcroRd32.exe

Best Answer

I think I found a working solution by adjusting preferences in Acrobat and not Chrome.

I unchecked Allow speculative downloading in the background under the "Internet" preferences in Adobe Acrobat. (See below)

After doing so, I am given a "Save as" window popup 1) when I click on a link to a PDF in Chrome and 2) when I click to download a PDF email attachment -- both as desired.

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An explanation of this setting from helpx.adobe.com:

Allow Speculative Downloading In The Background: Choose to allow the browser to continue downloading PDF pages from the web, even after the first page displays.

One downside: it's taking significantly longer to load this "Save as" window vs just a few weeks ago when I last had a PDF successfully open the same window. What used to take 2-3 seconds is taking more like 12-20 seconds to load. So I'm not sure if there are additional adjustments or fixes to further improve upon the working solution I describe here.

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