Reading PDF Documents

You can use Edge to read PDF files opened from web pages or your local computer. By default, when you select a link on a web page that goes to a PDF file, it will be opened in the Edge PDF viewer. If Adobe Acrobat Reader is not installed on your computer, Edge is also the default viewer for PDF files opened through File Explorer.

When a PDF is opened in Edge, the JAWS Virtual Cursor is active so you can use the ARROW keys to navigate the document just like with any web page. Starting at the top there is a toolbar with several items, including the number of pages in the document, controls for adjusting the zoom level and rotating the view, and options to print or save the document.

Once you use the DOWN ARROW to move past the toolbar controls, you will find the document text. If the PDF is properly tagged with headings and other elements, you can use Navigation Quick Keys to move to specific sections.

Note: You can move to a specific page in the document by typing its number in the toolbar’s edit field. While this works visually, the JAWS Virtual PC Cursor focus does not appear to change. However, you can use the Find command (CTRL+F) to search for specific text in the document.