Google Chrome web browser handles different file formats pretty well. For example, when you download PDF files from Chrome, the browser automatically opens them afterward.

This could be a great feature for many because Chrome handles PDF files well. However, what if you want to maintain privacy and don’t want Chrome to automatically open PDFs after download?

To stop Chrome from automatically opening PDFs after download, you need to make some changes to the Chrome Settings. Here’s what you need to do.

Stop Chrome from Automatically Opening PDFs after download on Android

Make sure that you’re using the latest version of Google Chrome on your phone. Once you have updated the web browser from the Play Store, follow these simple steps to open stop Chrome from automatically opening PDF files after downloading.

1. Launch Google Chrome on your phone. Next, tap the three dots at the top right corner.

2. On the Chrome menu, select Settings.

3. On the Settings screen, tap Downloads.

4. On the Downloads, turn off the toggle for Automatically open PDFs.

This will prevent Google Chrome for Android from automatically opening the downloaded PDF files.

Stop Chrome from Automatically Opening PDFs after download on PC

The steps to prevent Chrome from opening the downloaded PDF files are a bit different on a desktop. So, If you manage PDF files from Chrome for desktop, follow these steps to prevent Chrome from automatically opening PDFs after download.

1. Launch the Google Chrome browser on your desktop.

2. Next, click on the three dots at the top right to open Chrome Menu.

3. On the Chrome menu, select Settings. You can also type chrome://settings on the address bar and press Enter.

4. On the Chrome Settings, switch to the Privacy and Security tab.

5. On the right side, scroll down and click Site Settings.

6. Scroll down to the Additional content settings and tap PDF documents.

7. On the Default behavior for PDF documents, select Download PDFs instead of Open PDFs in Chrome.

From now on, the Google Chrome browser will only download PDF files; it will not open them automatically. To open a downloaded PDF file, you will have to right-click it and select Open With > Google Chrome or any other PDF reader.

These are the best ways to prevent Chrome from automatically opening PDFs after download. If you need more help managing PDFs using Chrome browser, let us know in the comments. Also, if you find this guide helpful, share it with your friends.