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photo jon
Participant
February 8, 2018
Answered

How to open a PDF with Acrobat that is on Google Drive without having to download

  • February 8, 2018
  • 10 replies
  • 59197 views

I store may PDF in Google Drive (cloud not desktop) and would like to view them in acrobat.  When I try to open the PDF, I am presented with a number of options to open the PDF but none of them are with Acrobat.  Google drive provides an option to "connect more apps" however I can't seem to find any information on how to do this with Acrobat.  As popular as Acrobat is, I would think that many others have tried to do this as well.  I see several people posting questions on other forums but the only answers I've seen is to download which isn't really a solution.    Thanks in advance for the help.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Test Screen Name

Looks like Open With > Apps On Your Computer is the way to go, but it wants to install something first which I don't want.

10 replies

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SMcreative3644190
Inspiring
April 25, 2021

The thing is, in iOS it works fine. The same adobe illustrator PDF looks perfect on my phone. Drive couldn't preview it on my desktop. It only prompted me to open it with Acrobat.

 

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Kara_SB
Participant
March 24, 2020

After searching all over for how to do this (as it worked on my laptop, but not a coworker's), we figured out Google File Stream and turning on the Application Launcher for Drive extension in Chrome will allow you to edit PDF's from Drive using the desktop Acrobat application:

You could also open PDF's directly in Acrobat using File Stream. Hope this helps anyone else trying to figure out how to make this work, though I realize this is a new solution to an old problem.

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    ProlificUser
    Participating Frequently
    March 24, 2020

    https://helpx.adobe.com/in/acrobat/using/access-google-drive-files.html

    K
    Kara_SB
    Participant
    March 24, 2020

    Sorry, I should have specified we're still using Acrobat Pro XI. Unfortunately, DC is not available for our office's use at the time being.

    A
    alexk80376939
    Participant
    November 16, 2019

    As I've read this forum, I've come to the conclusion that Google Drive and Acrobat are simply not compatible, which is a real shame. It forces me to keep using dropBox for storage because there at least I can open up files in Acrobat wherever I am, edit and save...no need to download. I really wanted to believe having a google suite would allow me to keep it all contained in one easy to find and store system, but it's not going to happen. Dissapointing, but I think the problem indeed is with Google.

    K
    katerinac56501157
    Participant
    August 15, 2019

    Has anyone resolved this issue yet? I used to see an option to "open a file with Adobe Acrobat", but now i don't see that anymore. I only see an option to open with "Lumin" or "Google Docs" or to "connect more apps" but when i select that I can't find Adobe Acrobat.

    try67
    Community Expert
    try67Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 15, 2019

    That is entirely up to Google. Adobe has no say in this matter.

    C
    CarlosN32
    Participant
    March 18, 2019

    Update on this. I just noticed that Adobe and Google may have created a solution.

    Open PDFs in Acrobat Reader from Chrome

    When running Chrome on Windows and when you have Acrobat XI or later, you can open .pdfs right from Google Drive without downloading them.

    try67
    Community Expert
    try67Community Expert
    Community Expert
    March 19, 2019

    Even when the Adobe plugin worked in Chrome you had to download the file to view it. It's impossible to do it otherwise.

    It might have been downloaded as a temporary file behind the scenes, but it was downloaded.

    jamesh71612495
    jamesh71612495
    Participating Frequently
    February 7, 2019

    This forum says the issue is "answered", but the "answer" is NO SOLUTION. The original post still applies. In my case, I SOMETIMES have the "Open with Adobe Acrobat" button appear at the top of Google Drive (when accessed in a Chrome Browser) and then SOMETIMES have "Open with..." and then I click "Open with..." and it gives me this option for some crappy "Lumin PDF" which is HORRIBLE.

    WHY? WHYYYy!!???

    WHY IS THERE NO SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM???

      try67
      Community Expert
      try67Community Expert
      Community Expert
      February 7, 2019

      This is an issue of your browser. It has nothing to do with Adobe.

      jamesh71612495
      jamesh71612495
      Participating Frequently
      February 7, 2019

      I don't really care if its Google Drive, Adobe, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari or Google Chrome, the ISSUE REMAINS UNRESOLVED, and the original post is correct in pointing out that a seemingly ubiquitous software like Adobe Acrobat CAN'T FIND A SOLUTION and WORK WITH GOOGLE who has a seemingly ubiquitous Cloud/Browser Solution.

      Same applies to Google in not figuring out Adobe, but, seriously, don't bother posting an insubstantial response like "It has nothing to do with Adobe" when it does.

      KEY POINT:  If Adobe wants it to work, ADOBE will figure it out, so FIGURE IT OUT.

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        Test Screen Name
        Legend
        February 9, 2018

        That would need to be a cloud-based app. Adobe don't seem to be doing that sort of thing at the moment. It's a very different sort of thing, even if it looks similar to the end user.  But still, Google Drive has a PDF viewer already, doesn't it? Is there something missing from it?

        konradm21996633
        konradm21996633
        Participant
        April 6, 2018

        No "Find" function

        No highlighting of text

        The google viewer is nothing more than just that

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          Test Screen Name
          Legend
          February 8, 2018

          According to  (strange page name!)

          storybreak stars');background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:center}.editor .editor-inner div.legacy-raw-html,.pos…

          you can use the apps on your computer, like Acrobat Reader.

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            photo jonAuthor
            Participant
            February 9, 2018

            Thanks.  The challenge with this solution is that is requires you to install Google Drive Sync which effectively copies all your files from drive to your computer which negates a lot of the value of drive.  I wish Adobe had an App like other PDF solutions have created to work directly from within Google Drive without having to have the document local.

              45235542
              45235542
              Participant
              April 26, 2018

              Did you ever find a solution? I have the same need.

                T
                Test Screen NameCorrect answer
                Legend
                February 8, 2018

                Looks like Open With > Apps On Your Computer is the way to go, but it wants to install something first which I don't want.

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                photo jonAuthor
                Participant
                February 8, 2018

                I wouldn't mind installing the app but I don't know which "App" to install.  There doesn't appear to be an Acrobat "exchange"/"thin client" to make this happen.  Do you have a recommendation of which App to install?

                try67
                Community Expert
                try67Community Expert
                Community Expert
                February 8, 2018

                If you want to view the file in Acrobat it has to be downloaded first, even

                if just as a temporary file.

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