How to change the default program IE uses

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the issue of changing the default program that Internet Explorer (IE) uses to open .pdf files, specifically the desire to use Adobe Reader instead of Adobe Acrobat. Participants share their experiences and methods related to this problem.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation, Debate/contested, Problem-solving

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses difficulty in remembering how to change the default program for .pdf files in IE and requests assistance.
  • Another participant suggests a method involving Windows Explorer and the File Types settings to change the default program for .pdf files.
  • A different participant reports that the suggested method did not work specifically for IE, noting that .pdf files open correctly with Adobe Reader outside of IE.
  • Another participant mentions that the issue began after installing PDF Convert Professional by ScanSoft, implying a potential conflict.
  • One participant claims to have resolved the issue by re-installing Adobe Reader, although it is unclear if this solution is universally applicable.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion reflects a lack of consensus, with participants sharing different experiences and solutions, and some methods proving ineffective for certain users.

Contextual Notes

Participants do not clarify whether specific settings or configurations in IE may be influencing the behavior, nor do they address potential compatibility issues with other software.

stewartcs
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For the life of me I can't seem to remember how to change the default program that IE uses to open .pdf files. I want to use Adobe Reader and not Adobe Acrobat.

Can anyone enlighten me?

Thanks...CS
 
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Open Windows Explorer. This is as simple as opening a "My Computer" window. Click Tools > Folder Options > File Types. This should bring up a window that lists file extensions and which programs are responsible for what. Search for PDF. Then from the sub-screen "Details for 'PDF' Extension", click Change, then browse for Adobe Reader.

Hope it helps.
 
I tried that before (and just again) and it didn't work.

It only happens with Internet Explorer though. If I open a .pdf any other way (outside of IE), it opens with Adobe Reader like I want it to, but not with IE.
 
Also, it started doing this after I installed PDF Convert Professional by ScanSoft.
 
Well I was finally able to fix it by re-installing Adobe Reader.
 

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