Changing Default Intial View?

[Kalie1212]

I want  the PDFs I create to open with the intial view set to “fit to window”. Currently I open every PDF and change that in the document properties under “Initial View”, save and close. Is it possible to set this as the default for all newly created PDFs?

[Bill12]

If you set it in the document properties that is for that document. However, the general properties for your use is under Edit>Preferences>Page Display

[Dave Merchant · Accepted solution]

There is no way to change the default for all newly-created PDF files as every application has a different route to create PDF content - not all use Acrobat or Distiller, and for those that do there isn't always a setting for the intial zoom.

[Guest]

If you can't change the default view on the document level, is there a way to set Acrobat to open the Bookmarks panel by default on the program level? Maybe a registry value?

[Dave Merchant]

No. The visibility of the navigation panes is a per-document setting.

[HW Paralegal]

Yes, you can.  Edit, Preferences, Page Display.  Under Default Layout and Zoom change the Zoom: dropdown box to "Fit Page"

[Bill12]

Changing the Acrobat preferences, changes the default that Acrobat uses to open PDFs, unless the opening preferences are set in the PDF. Generally speaking, the PDF properties override your Acrobat preferences. As for setting default document settings when you produce a PDF, I do not think it is normally possible. However, you might be able to create a JavaScript that could be run to do the settings (I am guessing).

[Guest]

"Generally speaking, the PDF properties override your Acrobat preferences."
This is not directed at you, Bill@VT (thanks for the good info), but this is a terrible design decision. The fact that it still exists today (August 2015) is mind-numbing. Perhaps not surprising though, considering that this is the same company that has given us Flash..

Whenever possible, I'll use a different app for working with PDFs (unfortunately, I can't at work, so the pain-of-process continues).

Adobe, please listen to your users, and give us the option to override individual PDF view settings. The creator of a PDF cannot possibly know ahead of time, all of the various viewing needs of the people that will be viewing the document. This is bad UI, period.

[cjp-prez]

I just want to add to this for Adobe.  We all have ways we use PDFs.  For our small non-profit, we have a 2nd Saturday ArtWalk, and the art galleries that participate change from month to month.  So when we promote it we update the PDF for use printing or viewing, because it's an art walk to galleries, and people are walking.  We've found the best way for the participants and visitors to the area to use a PDF.  The first page is a map, and the remaining pages are a directory of the galleries with descriptions.

So... we need the Navigation Pane to be open every time the PDF is viewed in a browser.  Otherwise, MOST people don't understand there are additional pages to view besides the map.  We have found this to be true in many cases when using a multiple-page PDF to introduce things to a web visitor.  IN THIS CASE, it is best to allow the document Initial View to ALWAYS override a user's personal settings.  Maybe there is another dimension that can be added to this setting?  I think this use-case presents an important dimension to consider this preference.

Thanks!

[25002425za8v]

I have tried this today, and these steps did work for any PDF i have opened after this. Edit, Preferences, Page Display.  Under Default Layout and Zoom change the Zoom: dropdown box to "Fit Page" (I changed mine to 100% because mine kept loading at 136% and it was huge, it now opens to 100% everytime)

[Katharine_Holden]

Thank you, HW Paralegal. This worked for me. I changed the setting to Fit Page. Now, when I open a document and look at Properties, it shows the word Default in the Magnification box and the setting is what I want: Fit Page. I appreciate you posting this instruction.

[Timothy1587]

Didn't work for me. No matter how many times I change the Default View to Fit Width, it opens every document at full page which means the type is too small for me to read.

[SolarPop]

A pdf document's "initial view" settings seem to override Acrobat's "Default Layout and Zoom" settings. If the pdf document's "initial view" layout and zoom settings are set to "default", then Acobat uses the layout and zoom setting in preferences.