Download and then open PDFs with Preview instead of viewing PDFs within Safari

Question

Level 1

4 points

Download and then open PDFs with Preview instead of viewing PDFs within Safari

hello, I am running Safari 6.0.2 and since this update PDF files are automatically opened within Safari. This seems to be a new feature. In my older version of Safari whenever I clicked a pdf it was downloaded to my "Downloads" folder and then automatically opened with Preview. The option open "safe" files after downloading in Safari -> Preferences -> General is ticked. So as soon as a download a PDF file it should automatically be opened with Preview. However, I cannot figure out how to download a PDF file from a google link. I googled and people suggested to use alt + mouse click on the google search result link to download the PDF. However, whenever I tried this instead of downlading the PDF file it downloads a .html file which is then apparently not opened. Also using the option "download linked file" or "download linked file as" only downloads a url.html file and not the PDF. I searched and searched for any possible solutions but cannot find any. I am really suprised that no one has yet really complained about that. Any ideas of how to fix that problem?

MacBook Pro (13-inch Late 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Nov 8, 2012 3:49 AM

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Answer 1

pariseau

Level 1

5 points

Nov 21, 2013 1:43 PM in response to mjf12

I had a similar probem after updating to the newest Safari -- and I posted that question on the forum this morning. Like you, I didn't have any adobe plug-ins. then I read another post that made sense:

find a pdf document that you know opens in Preview. Do a command-I on that document's icon. Then you'll see 1/2 way down an item that says "open with Preview" - click on the arrow beside that, then beside it you'll see "use this application to open all documents like this one" Under that, you'll see "change all" -- and it will change all pdfs to automatically open with Preview instead of Adobe.From then on Safari worked perfectly

Then I wondered why I didn't have the Adobe plug-in that people were telling me to disable - so I downloaded Adobe Reader again - looked in the library and sure enough there was the plug-in - so I went ahead and disabled the Adobe pdf plug-in (by dumping it in the trash).

so far so good -- first time that Safari 6.02 has worked for me since I installed it.

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Answer 2

manolo

Level 1

30 points

Nov 11, 2012 9:00 AM in response to wk244

I have the opposite problem. I WANT PDFs to open within Safari (6.0.2) but they won't, they ONLY download to my downloads folder, then I have to open them in preview. This is extremely annoying since I just want to look at a PDF briefly, not have to go through the steps of download, open, read, close, then drag to trash. Is there a setting I'm missing that would allow PDFs just to be viewed within Safari?

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Answer 3

mjf12

Level 1

4 points

Nov 13, 2012 3:37 AM in response to wk244

Hello, I seem to have the same problem as you. Having never had any problems before, when I tried to download a pdf file on Safari 6.0.2 this morning all I got was a message to say my browser wasn't configured properly to receive it and thereafter when I try all I get is a blank screen! I switched to Firefox and initially had the same problem but having search the net I found a solution which involved disabling some Adobe plug-ins. I then searched the net again and found some similar possible solutions linked to earlier versions of Safari, again suggesting disabling Adobe plug-ins in Library/Internet plug-ins, but I do not appear to have any such plug-ins on my system. Now totally frustrated so would welcome any help. In the meantime using Firefox!

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