PDF Documents Won't Download

Question

Level 2

387 points

PDF Documents Won't Download

When I click on a PDF document, the web site opens up a new tab and puts the PDF in the new tab. From there, I can scroll the PDF and zoom in and out of the PDF.

However, Download or View in Preview icons (located bottom center of the page) nothing happens. The file does not download, nor will it open in preview.

I checked the Internet Plug-ins folder and did see AdobePDF reader was installed, so I uninstalled those. But I still have the problem.

Any suggestions to fix this issue is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

8.0.3 - Safari

10.10.2 - Yosemite

Posted on Feb 25, 2015 11:02 AM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Feb 25, 2015 6:08 PM in response to 1 Open Loop

From the Safari menu bar, select

Help ▹ Installed Plug-ins

Besides the following, what plugins are listed?

iPhotoPhotocast

Java

QuickTime

Shockwave Flash

WebKit built-in PDF (absent in OS X 10.9 and later)

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Answer 2

1 Open Loop Author

Level 2

387 points

Feb 26, 2015 5:17 AM in response to Linc Davis

AdobeExManDetect

Flip4Mac Windows Media Plugin

SharePoint Browser Plug-in

Silverlight Plug-In

WacomTabletPlugin

WebEx64 General Plugin Container

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Feb 26, 2015 6:21 AM in response to 1 Open Loop

Remove the Adobe plugin, and if there's no change, the Silverlight plugin. Test.

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Answer 4

1 Open Loop Author

Level 2

387 points

Feb 26, 2015 6:50 AM in response to Linc Davis

I removed the Adobe and Silverlight plugins.

No change. The PDF won't download nor will it open in Preview.

I also Cleared History and Website data ... and test again. No change. Still doesn't work.

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Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Feb 26, 2015 10:18 AM in response to 1 Open Loop

Does this happen on all web pages, or only one? If you're not sure, try this:

Apple - Support - Manuals

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Answer 6

1 Open Loop Author

Level 2

387 points

Feb 26, 2015 3:47 PM in response to Linc Davis

Hmm. Well downloading and opening in Preview works just fine on the Apple documents page.

So, it appears to be site related.

I'm guessing that means the site I'm having issues with is therefore site related an not an issue on my end. Meaning there's probably nothing more I can do?

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Answer 7

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Feb 26, 2015 4:04 PM in response to 1 Open Loop

Please post a direct link to a page you're having trouble with, if possible. It must be open to anyone without a login.

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Answer 8

1 Open Loop Author

Level 2

387 points

Feb 27, 2015 7:03 AM in response to Linc Davis

The site I'm having the issue with requires a login. It's a site I've been downloading pdf's for quite a while, which has not had a problem in the past. But I can't recall what has changed that might have trigger this issue, if in fact it's an issue on my end.

I will post back if I can come across a site that has the issue, but does not require a login.

Thanks for your help up to this point.

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Answer 9

1 Open Loop Author

Level 2

387 points

Mar 2, 2015 9:37 AM in response to Linc Davis

The problem seems to be with brokerage and bank sites. On both sites I have opened PDFs in a new tab. I can view and scroll, but I clicking on the Save to Downloads or Open in Preview do not work.

Could these financial sites flag a PDF in such as way that Safari won't download them?

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Answer 10

notcloudy

Level 4

1,252 points

Mar 2, 2015 9:44 AM in response to 1 Open Loop

Are you sure they are PDF files? As you can open them, try printing them to PDF.

Have found over the years - Right click and SAVEAS - sometimes its a PDF and sometimes its just another site.

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Answer 11

1 Open Loop Author

Level 2

387 points

Mar 2, 2015 9:48 AM in response to notcloudy

I'm not sure I know how to verify they are PDFs.

In Safari, they look like other PDFs. (as in, not a web page) Safari brings up the icons (which auto hide/appear) at the bottom of the window allowing you to Zoom in/out, Open in Preview and Download. So Safari thinks they are. The site that I'm getting them from, states that they are. This used to work in Safari, from the exact same sites I'm now having the issue with.

I can Export as PDF ... in Safari. Which is my current workaround. But this isn't a great option, since it won't auto increments the file name, as Safari would normally do when you click the Download icon when viewing the PDF.

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Answer 12

notcloudy

Level 4

1,252 points

Mar 3, 2015 5:12 AM in response to 1 Open Loop

1 Open Loop wrote:

I'm not sure I know how to verify they are PDFs.

Right click and save as - shows me the file name and location it is being saved to.

In Safari and now in Opera I disabled all plug ins - and have not had a problem saving PDF. I generally don't open PDF's as I wind up saving them anyway.

It may be specific to the systems the sites you are using use -- packaged software set up for certain security checks.

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Answer 13

1 Open Loop Author

Level 2

387 points

Mar 3, 2015 6:24 AM in response to notcloudy

Right click does not have an option for Save As ...

It has Open with Preview, which does not work.

The other PDF options do work. I can view the document as Single Page or Two Pages. So it appears that Safari thinks it's a PDF. But for some reason, I cannot Download or Open in Preview as I can from other sites. The sites I'm having issues with are Bank/Financial sites.

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Answer 14

notcloudy

Level 4

1,252 points

Mar 3, 2015 9:53 AM in response to 1 Open Loop

1 Open Loop wrote:

The sites I'm having issues with are Bank/Financial sites.

You may be having trouble with multiple bank/financial sites because the are using they same Bank/Financial software package and have either installed a fix or a complete upgrade.

If the document is in reference to your account - then it may be a formatted printout displayed on line that you can then save to PDF.

You would have to contact one of the institutions to see if they upgraded and why have the options changed.

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Answer 15

notcloudy

Level 4

1,252 points

Mar 9, 2015 5:58 PM in response to 1 Open Loop

Just an FYI -- I was downloading pdf's from a site - by right clicking and saving to a folder. the Site said must have Adobe - all of them downloaded - but one would not open - had an error message. Noticed it was not the same size as the site said the download was - so tried opening it on site - instead of opening it immediately popped up as download - so I downloaded it that way and the file was fine.

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