Roadmap for PDF reader in Microsoft Edge

[Aditi_Gangwar]

Update - March 1st, 2021: We've published an updated version of this roadmap. Check out Aditi's update over here, and we encourage you to continue to drop your PDF reader feedback into the comments of that post!

Over the course of last year, we worked hard on building a powerful PDF reader that fulfils the needs of compatibility, reliability and security for you and your organization.

The feedback we received from you with the Edge Insider builds has been really encouraging, and here are some of the most asked features that are available today, across Windows and Mac:

• Create highlights with Highlight mode: Draw attention to parts of the PDF that you find interesting with Highlights. With Highlight mode, you can now create highlights directly by selecting text, as you would do with a highlighter and paper.
• Fill PDF forms
• Ink on PDF files with colors and stroke width of your choice
• View PDFs in Dark mode
• Open Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) and Information Rights Management (IRM) protected PDF and view permissions
• Accessibility support including keyboard accessibility, screen reader support, and capability to view PDFs in high contrast mode
• Read Aloud

Here are the features we’re currently working on:

• Smoother scroll experience: We are bringing the smooth scroll of Legacy Edge to the modern browser. (Edge 086: In Canary, Dev, and Beta today)
• Table of Contents: You will soon be able to view the contents of PDF files and navigate through the file with the same. (Edge 086: In Canary, Dev, and Beta today)
• Text notes: With this, you will be able to add their own notes to text in PDF files. These notes will travel with the PDF.
• Protected PDF files: Microsoft Information Protection adds a layer of security to your documents. It ensures that only the users who have certain permissions as view, copy, annotate can take those actions on the file. Hence, no matter where the document goes, the data of your organization remains secure.
  • Viewing labels of protected files: You will soon be able to view the sensitivity labels
  • Viewing MIP files protected in other tenants: This will enable you to view the files protected in other organizations, or in other tenants in the organization.
• Digital signatures: View and validate certificate based Digital signatures on signed files.
• Accessibility improvements: With this, you will be able to fill PDF forms using screen readers, and navigate through PDF documents using caret mode.

We are actively looking at feedback from you about the features you find important.

Please feel free to comment below, or submit detailed feedback through the browser (Shift+Alt+I).

[#2]

This is fantastic progress, thank you! My most wanted feature for the PDF reader in Edge is the ability to reopen PDF documents at the same page location as when they were closed. Thank you again, @Aditi_Gangwar 

[#3]

"Ink on PDF files with colors and stroke width of your choice".

We can already do this, but there is no pressure sensitivity, making it a sub-par experience when signing PDF documents with digital ink. Is this being worked on?

[#4]

@Aditi_Gangwar I would first like to appreciate all the great work Edge team has done for the new edge browser and pdf reader. I see a lot of great features regarding pdf reader coming to new edge, however I would like to bring to your notice a great feature from old edge browser, Page View, that doesn't seem to be planned for new Edge. 

Part of my daily work is to read & review research papers and being able to see two pages on one screen (Two Page Layout mode) great improves my productivity. I guess this is the only feature that's stopping me from completely moving to new edge. I hope Edge team plans to implement this feature soon.

[#5]

@Aditi_Gangwar the text selected in PDF Files appear subpar with how the selected text appears on webpages.

Also, it should be updated to allow previews in the Preview Pane in File Explorer.

[#6]

@Aditi_Gangwar,

Need to get Edge to work as PDF previewer for Outlook. 

Without this business need to deploy Adobe Reader for Outlook, so it doesn't really matter what Edge can do. 

[#7]

@Aditi_Gangwar 

Great news to hear that you are actively working on the inbuilt PDF reader, this is one of the major blocking issues from rolling out Edge as our default browser in my company of 7000 workstations. We want to move away from Adobe Reader asap!

In addition to the mentioned planned features, please can you add the following:

• "Rotate counterclockwise" button on the toolbar
• "Next/Previous page" buttons on the toolbar
• "Full Screen" button on the toolbar
• "Hand" scroll option like in Firefox/Adobe Reader
• The "Find" toolbar from Edge Classic
• The ability to sign PDF files with a digital signature
• "Document Properties" button like in Firefox

[#8]

@Aditi_Gangwar How can we view PDF Files in Dark Mode? Cannot figure out how to.

[#9]

Great news about upcoming access to table of contents.

[#10]

Can't you just set edge as the default pdf viewer?

[#11]

@Robin Stacey Thanks for the kind words Robin. 

We should definitely add retaining PDF files to the same location. 

Can you please elaborate on the kind of documents you will usually need this?

[#12]

Caramba ! Gastaram horas criando um leitor de PDFs !!! Não queremos  isso, queremos que um arquivo baixado como PDF seja lido pelo Acrobat Reader !!! Só isso, é difícil associar ????

[#13]

Hello rkmalaiya,

Layouts and page view is currently in our 6 month roadmap. We will get to it right after Table of Contents and Text Notes.

[#14]

Thanks for the feedback Rohit.
We're working on improving text selection.

Previews in File Explorer is right after the above set of things in our Roadmap. 🙂

[#15]

Thanks for sharing your feedback Nicholas!
Preview in Outlook and File Explorer is definitely on our radar.
Does the current set of functionalities most other needs of your organisation?

[#16]

Hello Rohit,

You just need to change the browser to dark mode, and PDF UX will inherit the dark mode as well.

[#17]

Hello Agnus,

While we honor your settings you may have set the default PDF reader, you definitely can change it!

You may either do it by going to Settings -> Default apps -> Set default by apps.
Or by right clicking on a PDF file -> Open with -> Choose another app -> Select Edge, and check "Always use this app to open .pdf files"

[#18]

Desculpe por qualquer erro na língua, já que eu não falo português e estou usando tradução.

Você pode abrir arquivos PDF em seu software PDF padrão com as seguintes configurações:

1. Vá para "..." (Configurações e muito mais) -> Configurações -> Permissões do site -> Documentos PDF (Alternativamente, você pode navegar para edge://settings/content/pdfDocuments diretamente)
2. Alternar "Sempre abra arquivos PDF externamente" em
Com isso, sempre que você encontrar um arquivo PDF durante a navegação, ele será baixado e aparecerá na bandeja de downloads na parte inferior da janela. Clicar em "Abrir arquivo" abrirá o arquivo diretamente no leitor PDF padrão de acordo com as configurações do sistema operacional.

Você pode torná-lo ainda mais suave selecionando "Sempre abra com o visualizador do sistema" no menu Opções para o download.
Com isso, todos os arquivos PDF disponíveis serão diretamente abertos no leitor pdf padrão de acordo com suas configurações.

[#19]

Thanks for the detailed response Tom!

Ill share the above with the team to be prioritized in our backlog.

[#20]

Hello @Aditi_Gangwar 

MS Edge doesnt recognize active pen on Surface devices. It would be fine to INK with pen and scrolling with fingers like in MS Whiteboard.

Thanks!

Filip