open pdf files in Adobe NOT EDGE without having to download them

[Revised for clarity and conciseness - 2023-01-18]

All,

I needed to configure Adobe Acrobat Reader as the default PDF reader for our company standard computer image, but the file association kept being hijacked by Microsoft Edge. I have tried every suggestion I could find on the internet for the past few years without any success. After many days spent on research, experimenting, and trial and error, I now believe that I have a usable workaround that I would like to share with the community.  

1. Be sure that Adobe Acrobat Reader is installed already on the machine.
2. Open Regedit and delete "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSEdgePDF"

NOTE: first right-click on “MSEdgePDF” export a backup reg file for future use to restore it if needed.

Deleting this registry key should cause Adobe Reader to immediately become the next default application for PDF files.

NOTE: I’m not sure how Windows selects the next default application. If it does so alphabetically then maybe that’s why Acrobat Reader was the immediate choice in my case. You can see all applications associated with PDF files by going to: Windows Settings > Apps>Default Applications> and click on .PDF. You will see that Adobe Acrobat is the default.

To restore ... Import the backup .reg file and immediately, the file association goes back to Microsoft Edge without any further action.

Long Term ... I don't know if a future Microsoft update will restore these settings back to the original state. So far it has been working fine for us. One way to restore the workaround again quickly for future use is to create a .BAT or .CMD batch file with the following command line:  

reg.exe delete HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSEdgePDF /f

This will allow you to run the batch file and delete the registry key at any time. If you want a persistent “set it and forget it” solution then create a Windows scheduled task to run the batch file at startup or user login. There are many internet articles that you can search for on how to create a scheduled task.

Some observations to keep in mind if you desire to explore further ...

• All files associated with PDFs are listed in Windows Settings > Default Applications> and click on PDF.
  • Each of these applications have a registry entry in "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.pdf\OpenWithProgids". In my case, Adobe Reader, Google Chrome, and MS Edge had corresponding values: AcroExch.Document.DC, ChromeHTML, and MSEdgePDF respectively.
  • Deleting this "MSEdgePDF" registry entry is not sufficient because it only removes Edge from the list of applications and not the file association.
• I'm a little suspicious that the original problem is more directly related to Windows trying to enforce the file associations with Edge rather than Edge itself.

Dear jkhcast,if you are using Edge, the PDF file will open in Edge;

But if you uncheck the option "Always download PDF files" it will only be opened in Edge and will not be downloaded;

In order for PDF files not to be opened by Edge you will have to use another browser;

See you soon!

I didn't see an answer that I think does exactly what you're asking which is for the PDF to open automatically in Acrobat and not in the browser at all.

To do that you need the "Always download PDF files" option turned on in ... -> Settings -> Cookies and site permissions -> PDF documents". Then, after you click on and download a PDF file go to ... -> Downloads (it opens automatically when you download a file) then right click on the PDF file and choose "Always open with system viewer". If Acrobat is set as the default viewer now it will seamlessly open each PDF file you click on in Acrobat automatically.

To avoid having the PDF open in Edge, you must check "Always download PDF files". The PDF has to be transmitted (downloaded) to your PC one way or another. If you let Edge open the PDF, it still downloads the PDF but (depending on your settings) stores it in OneDrive/Pictures instead of the Downloads folder.

Once the download occurs, you can click the PDF in the download dropdown and it will open the PDF in Acrobat.

Hi there Jeri, I don't think you've had a response that satisfies you yet. I believe that if you are opening a PDF in Adobe, that document IS somewhere on your computer. It may not ask you if you want to download, and it may be in a temp folder instead of your downloads, but I'm pretty sure it has to be somewhere on your computer for it to be opened in Adobe. That's why people are telling you to "check" the download button and open it manually. It appears that the newer version of Edge automatically opens all PDFs in Edge; I haven't found a way to turn that off, but there used to be a setting a couple years ago (I found a MS post from 2020 that says there is supposed to be a setting for "use external program to open PDFs" but I can no longer find it).