Why can't I open PDF files on iMac?

Mine open automatically in Preview on the Mac - you can also download the free Acrobat Reader (I prefer Preview). Choose any PDF on your computer and control click on it - that will open a popup menu where you can choose which app to use to open the PDF with - choose Preview (or the Reader if you want). Once you can open that one, highlight that file and use Command + I keys to open the Get Info window. Scroll down and make sure Preview is chosen and that it says "use this application to open all documents like this".

As for your iPad: as far as I know, you will have to buy an app to open PDFs there. (Mac OS and iOS are two different OS's and apps are not interchangeable).

What version of Mac OS are you running? (Leopard, Snow Leopard, Lion, Mountain Lion?).

PDF files can be opened with the Preview application that's part of Mac OS.

When you say you can't "use" them, what do you mean? You can't edit a PDF file, can't open it, can't fill in forms?

Just a small correction to babowa's post....your iPad can open PDF files. It's "baked in" to iPads, just like Preview is "baked in" on the Mac.

It is????? I thought I read you need to purchase a PDF reader app?

babowa...nope...I've never installed a PDF viewer app on my iPad, and can read those files just fine.

Do you use/have iBooks? Or Pages? Apparently they have a PDF reader built in; here is one of the threads here that lead me to my conclusion:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3970647

FWIW, I do not have Pages (nor any other app other than what came with the iPad except for Atomic Lite); I don't have iBooks either. I just checked through mine and have no PDF to try it with.

Edit: and here are a couple more threads explaining you need iBooks:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4701165

Well, I do have both iBooks and Pages, but I remember being able to open PDF files prior to getting Pages for sure.

I know the iPad's Mail program will open PDF files attached to messages (and, for what it's worth, it will also open Excel and Word files). The Safari browser also supports PDF file viewing. iBooks gives me the ability to store the PDF file within the iBooks app.

I'm sure Adobe's Acrobat Reader has features that Apple's built-in viewer doesn't have, but I've never needed anything more than what I have. For example, if he's looking to fill in forms, then Apple's solution isn't for him...he'd want Adobe Reader.

But iBooks does not come with the iPad (nor does Pages), so the OP would most likely have to download something which is what I said (free or not). As I said, I don't know where to get my hands on a PDF online to try to download it - you have an idea where I can get one? I'd like to try to see if it works on an iPad 3 with just the stock install and without using Mail and without installing an extra application.

I don't know if this will work or not, but see if you can open the Dropbox manual on your iPad, babowa. Here's a link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9450u7tyq8n32dq/Getting%20Started.pdf

(Of course, you realize the OP is probably laughing uncontrollably as you and I exchange posts...😁)

(Of course, you realize the OP is probably laughing uncontrollably as you and I exchange posts...😁)

So???? 😀 I'd think it better to have a real discussion which ends with the OP getting 100% dependable results... besides, isn't this what we get the big bucks for... 😁 (or didn't you get the memo??) Remember the ToU: research and try the solution yourself before recommending it.....

Seriously......

no way to get to your manual, possibly because I don't have dropbox. Then tried two different things: went to LaCie and attempted to download a pdf datasheet and a user manual - both displayed within my Atomic Lite browser - no download (to save as a file) available. Then I went to my Yahoo email account and found an email with a pdf attachment: again, it displayed within the browser, no download available.

Summary: yes, Atomic Lite can display PDF's within the browser window; however, there is no option to get it saved/displayed as a PDF on the "desktop" as it were. So, pdf's can be viewed within the browser, but that is all. it appears you do need an app if you want to look at a pdf that is not on the web.

(official end of research, LOL)

babawa, I'm still chuckling at your response....too funny! Actually, I did get the memo....I forgot and left it in my new Apple Support Forums Cadillac that Apple just delivered last week.

I was able to type the Dropbox link I posted in my wife's iPad, as she doesn't have Dropbox on that device, and it opened fine. But...she's got iBooks on her iPad, so that may be why it was able to open it.

Maybe the OP's question goes back to the one I asked him...what's his definition of "use"? PDFs can be viewed in Safari and Mail, but downloading them or editing them would require another app.

And now I will rest and wait for Palmier to reappear here.....

Wait a minute here - you got a Cadillac???? Now I'm ticked - I only got a Bug (and it was OS related)....

LOL!

Here are some PDFs you may want to try http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/cic-ombudsman/

I can open them in my browser, but when I save them they are blank. Those emailed to me don't open. I get this error message:

Not sure what you want me to do on that website - it displays and shows instructions on how to file a complaint. None of the underlined areas are actual links, at least that is with my using the latest Firefox.