HOWTO: Set Adobe Acrobat Reader as the Default PDF Reader

NOTE: 

Despite our best efforts, Mass General Brigham no longer qualifies for Adobe educational pricing. The Adobe products will still be purchasable through our vendor Insight but without the educational discount. If you need to continue with Acrobat, you can email @email for approvals and a quote.

To help offset this change, Mass General Brigham is providing a centrally-funded alternative: Power PDF. 

This robust tool offers PDF creation, editing, conversion, annotation, redaction, access restriction, and fill/sign functionality at no cost to you. 

Please follow these how-to instructions to install the MGB-licensed Tungsten Power PDF software on MGB managed Windows 11 and Mac devices: https://partnershealthcare.service-now.com/kb_view.do?sysparm_article=KB0043419  

IMPORTANT NOTE: 

· Your device must be a MGB managed device (computer, phone, or tablet enrolled in the Intune system which allows MGB to remotely control and manage its settings, security, and applications) to install via the instructions above. 

Escalation:

***************

Follow these instructions to set Adobe Acrobat Reader as the default PDF reader on your computer.

On a Windows computer

1. Click the Start button on your desktop and select Default Programs. 
2. Click Associate a file type or protocol with a program. 
3. Scroll down to locate .pdf in the Name column. 
4. If you see Adobe Acrobat Reader in the Current Default column, then click to select .pdf and click the Change program button.

On a Mac computer

1. Single click a PDF file you wish to open or any PDF file in general while holding the control key. Then select 'Get Info' from the menu you've opened.
2. Under the heading 'Open with,' the current default application for opening PDF's is listed. If there is no application listed you may need to click the triangle to the left of 'Open with' so that it points downward to reveal the current setting.
3. Click on the application listed to open a menu displaying additional applications. In this menu locate the most recent version of Adobe Reader. If Reader is not listed or an old version of the software is listed select 'Other' from the bottom of the menu.
4. Navigate through your Applications folder to locate the icon for the Adobe Reader application and click to highlight it. Click the Add button to select Reader.
5. Back in the information window click the 'Change All' button so that all subsequent PDF files will be opened by the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
6. Click the Continue button to confirm that you'd like to change your settings. Now all PDF files will be opened by the Adobe Acrobat Reader.