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]

@qq_Zhao thanks for your feedback. We have observed some issues with Chinese font rendering in Chromium. We will investigate this issue. 

-Vyankatesh Gadekar

Program Manager, Microsoft Edge

[#3]

Yep, two page view is why I had to install beta/dev channel Edge, so I could keep using legacy Edge as PDF reader

[#4]

谢谢

[#5]

Hello Cetheres,

Thanks a lot for your response. Navigation using bookmarks in a document is going to be enabled soon!

Your dreams help us stay on the right path, so please do keep sharing them! 🙂

[#6]

Hello Shakshyam, It should be available in Stable around the end of July, as per the current plan.

[#7]

Thanks Reza! 🙂

[#8]

Hello yvjiang!
That should definitely not be the case. Can we connect over messages to debug this?

[#9]

Hello dcrazevedo,

Improved highlights is currently under development, and will be available soon, and the next in line is comments.

Can you please share the expectations you have around comments, in addition to text being attached to content on PDFs?

[#10]

Hello Alexei,

Based on the feedback on this thread, we've added it high on our priority. Thanks for sharing this.

We'll keep this thread as we get closer to having it in the product.

[#11]

Thanks for sharing this rbirz!
Your feedback keeps us going.
We will add the above items to our backlog and keep the thread updated as we get closer to having them in the PDF reader.

[#12]

Hello Lobotomik,

Thanks a lot for sharing the detailed feedback. The suggestions surely make the reading experience smoother, be it about navigating back to where one was, to looking only at the relevant content by getting rid of the white space.
The save icon surely does have some nostalgia to it 🙂
We will discuss the feedback to the team, which will help in prioritising the right set of features.

[#13]

Hello Gustav,

Sure, you can go to the "Settings and more" menu ("...") in the address bar. The share option there allows you to share the PDF to a variety of locations!

[#14]

Hello stesch79!
Great that you mention it.
We havent seen a very strong ask for it among the users so far. Can we connect with you over messaging to understand the scenario further?

[#15]

Thanks for sharing the feedback yvjiang!
This gives us good direction to improve the experience.

[#16]

Hello kamelAbuAlya,

For sharing via outlook, you can go to the "Settings and more" menu ("...") in the address bar. The share option there allows you to share the PDF to a variety of locations!

[#17]

Hello kamelAbuALya,

Can we connect over messaging to understand the ask further?

[#18]

Got it.
Thanks Nei_Andres! The reader can then mimic high contrast behaviour with softer colors to prvide a smooth reading experience.
We'll take this up in our backlog.

[#19]

Hello Ken,
Yes, the features apply to both Windows and Mac. For Linux, support is planned, but it is too early for a timeline currently..

[#20]

Got the requirement Dragdrop 🙂
We will add this to the planned improvements to Surface pen support.

[#21]

Really good to hear this Mohammed Bila!!

Can you share what you liked about the reader?
We will add georeferenced map objects to the backlog, to be prioritised with other items based on your feedback.