Foxit Reader

Simple program to read PDF files.

Foxit Reader is one of the best free PDF tools available. It's a full-featured PDF solution that can open, edit, print, sign, and, yes, create fully compatible PDFs. It's fast, light, secure, and easy on system resources; yet it leaves nothing out. It integrates with context menus in Windows (XP to 8) as your default PDF tool, but Foxit Reader works alongside other PDF software, including Adobe Reader. But Foxit is no Adobe clone; in fact, many users prefer it to Adobe and other PDF programs, free or not. Recent updates to Foxit Reader 6 include improved support for Eastern Asian languages. Some of Foxit Reader's PDF creation features require Microsoft Word 2003 or better.

Foxit Reader's attractive, well-configured user interface has an Office-style Ribbon toolbar, but a standard menu bar instead of a "Start" button. Foxit Reader's look definitely leans more toward Office apps than Adobe's products; for all that they have similar capabilities. We've relied on Foxit Reader as our default PDF solution for years, and it's performed like a champion. But let's cut to the chase -- creating PDFs with Foxit. There's nothing to it, actually. Click "File," then "Create," and then choose one of four options: "From File," "Scanner," "Clipboard," or "Blank." We clicked "Blank" and named and saved our new PDF. Next we clicked "Typewriter" on the Comment tab and entered some text, pasted some data, and saved our file. But Adobe Reader couldn't open it, at least not until it downloaded and installed support for the Chinese characters in the document (which Foxit handled natively). Once that was accomplished, Adobe Reader could open and edit the document, normally.

For all their similar capabilities, there's no real comparison between Foxit Reader and Adobe Reader. Foxit's real competition isn't Adobe Reader but Adobe Acrobat. Like Acrobat, Foxit Reader can create PDFs. Adobe Reader can't do that on its own. But Acrobat retails for $70 to $100. Foxit's free, though you do need Word for some of Foxit's features. Foxit has premium upgrades, too. But the free Foxit Reader more than meets most users' needs.

Whether you're a consumer, business, government agency, or educational organization, you need to read, create, sign, and annotate (comment on) PDF documents and fill out PDF forms. Foxit Reader is a small, lightning fast, and feature rich PDF viewer which allows you to create (free PDF creation), open, view, sign, and print any PDF file. Foxit Reader is built upon the industry’s fastest and most accurate (high fidelity) PDF rendering engine, providing users with the best PDF viewing and printing experience. Available in English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

• PDF Viewer - Lighting fast PDF view and print of PDF files and portfolios quickly without exhausting system resources.
• Easily View Multiple PDF Files - Multi-tab style document display allows users to go back and forth between different PDF documents quickly and easily.
• Configurable PDF Viewer - Configure document views with read mode, reverse view, and text viewer options. Configure page display with full screen, single page, continuous scrolling, split, two page facing, continuous facing, separate cover page, auto-scroll, and page transition options.
• Bookmark Support - Easily add, edit, and modify bookmarks in a PDF document.
• Multiple Views - Rotate pages between landscape and portrait. Configure zooming or adjust magnification using the marquee, loupe, and magnifier tools.