Yes, I have the box checked in Preferences to open safe files automatically after downloading. I've now tried many PDFs from different websites, and none of them open automatically.
I've tried deleting Safari's preferences, but that didn't help.
Anyone else having this problem?
iMac, macOS Sierra (10.12)
For security reasons, I do not have Safari 10 : Preferences : General panel : Open Safe files after downloading checked. It has nothing to do with opening PDF documents in the browser, as that is the function of the default OS X Internet plug-in for that purpose, or the optional Adobe Acrobat Reader PDF plug-in.
That Adobe Reader plug-in is disabled by default in the Safari 10 : Preferences : Security panel : Internet Plug-ins. You will need to enable it via the Plug-in settings — if you are using it — though with a cautionary warning as Safari 10 notes that it has security issues that you may, or may not be willing to accept.
With Adobe Reader Internet Plug-in disabled, Safari 10 automatically opens a website PDF in the browser. There is no special Preferences setting to enable this default behavior.
Thanks for your reply.
Preferences : General panel : Open Safe files after downloading is already checked.
The PDFs open in the browser just fine. It's what happens after I download them that I'm writing about. In El Capitan PDFs would open in my default PDF program (PDF Expert) after downloading them. In Sierra, I have to go to my Downloads folder and double-click them to open. Not the end of the world, but it's an extra step and it adds up.
Does PDF Expert (2) provide a Safari 10 compatible browser plug-in, and if so, is it enabled in the Safari 10 Preferences : Security panel : Internet plug-ins panel?
You could make a folder action script that when you right-click to download the PDF, that you save it in a folder that has a folder-action script attached to it. That would allow you to automatically open PDF Expert (2) with that dropped PDF displayed.
The following AppleScript is how you write a folder action. This one opens (tested on El Capitan) the dropped PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC when you use the right-click and download the pdf into the Desktop folder that has the folder action attached to it.
on adding folder items tothis_folderafter receivingthese_items
tell application "Adobe Acrobat Reader DC" to open (item 1 of these_items)
return
end adding folder items to
~/Library/Workflows/Applications/Folder Actions
Thanks very much for the instructions on creating a folder action. That may be a viable workaround.
However, this has nothing to do with the fact that I'm using PDF Expert as my default PDF viewer. I tried switching to Preview as my default viewer, and PDFs still do not automatically open after download.
Note that in Chrome and Firefox, PDFs open automatically after downloading. So the problem appears to be with Safari.
Also, I do not have a Workflows folder in ~/Library. Should I create one?
Just launch Automator, and without specifying New document, just quit it. That will create the local Library Workflows folder hierarchy for you.
Firefox has always had a Preferences : Application panel that currently by default, opens a PDF in-browser. But it also allows you to specify an external PDF handling application that it will pass the PDF file to, and then launch that PDF handler for you. Safari will not directly open a selected PDF in an external application for you.
The Get Info -> Open with settings are intended for clicks on existing PDF documents that are already resident on the filesystem — not incoming downloads.
This still does not explain why Safari doesn't open PDFs automatically when Preview is selected as the default application for PDFs.
I believe it does answer the question. Safari is not designed to hand-off PDF documents to any application.
I just opened Safari 5.1.10 on OS X 10.6.8, turned off Internet plug-ins, selected open safe files in Preferences General, and it behaved the very same way that Safari 10 on macOS Sierra does — no hand off to an external default viewer.
I could reboot my Mac and try this again in Mountain Lion, but there is not point. You are expecting features that are not designed into the application, and want further explanation. Send feedback to the Safari Product team here.
What the heck is the "open safe files after downloading" preference box for if not to open the file types listed there automatically after downloading?
As far as I can tell, that Safari Preferences : General check box is simply useless, and suggests what it cannot deliver. That's on Apple.
However, whether you have this checked or not... — if you have the Safari Preferences : Security panel : Allow Plug-ins unchecked, or checked with other PDF plug-ins deselected, the PDF will appear in-browser via the default Apple PDF plug-in.
As you mouse over the bottom of this displayed PDF document, the following panel will appear:
If you click the indicated icon, it will open the PDF in any separate application that happens to be configured in the Get Info panel's open with setting. I successfully tested this with Acrobat Reader DC, Preview, and Skim.
Thanks, that does work. But it doesn't download the file; it just opens it. This is not ideal.
Strange that Safari has this preference but it doesn't do anything. I may try calling Apple Support since I have AppleCare, but I doubt I'll get anywhere.
The right, adjacent button on that floating PDF panel is a Save button, and it puts the currently viewed PDF right in the Downloads folder.
The Downloads alias on the Dock, next to the Trash can, will show that PDF in its stack, where you can with a single-click, open it in your default PDF viewer.
Unless there is some undocumented magic at Apple Support, I don't see a solution that will permit a direct browser download that opens in a designated PDF viewer solution that you seek. Unless you use the folder action approach.
Safari 10 not automatically opening PDFs
