PDF is a universal document format that is commonly used to share and preserve documents, which can keep the consistent appearance of a document across different devices and operating systems. Whether in the situation of work, business, academic, etc., we usually get or send PDF documents. Sometimes, we need to view a PDF on our Android phone. It is a frustrating thing to fail to open a PDF. How come? The following content will discuss the causes. More importantly, the primary purpose of this article is to provide feasible solutions to resolve the “can’t open PDF files on Android phone” issue.
Why Fail to Open PDF Files on Android Phone
Understanding the causes of the “can’t open PDF files on Android phone” issue is essential for us to resolve that issue. Why can't your Android phone open PDF documents? First, ensure that your Android phone has a PDF viewer installed. You will need to download and install one if there isn’t a built-in or third-party PDF viewer.
If your phone has a PDF viewer, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader or Google PDF Viewer, but still cannot open PDF files on your Android device, it may be caused by the PDF file itself, the PDF viewer, or the Android phone. I have listed five main causes as follows:
- Damaged PDF files. If the PDF file is corrupted in the process of downloading or transmission, you’ll fail to open it. Additionally, if you only download a part of the PDF file, it can’t be opened either.
- Unsupported PDF format. If the PDF files contain various multimedia elements and uncommon fonts, or if the latest encryption technologies are used, it can be difficult for basic users to handle these files.
- Outdated PDF viewer. If you still use the outdated version of a PDF viewer, it can’t handle PDF files with new features. Also, the outdated PDF viewer may have some bugs.
- Insufficient storage space. Provided that your Android phone doesn’t have sufficient storage space, it may cause the PDF viewer to stall or crash when opening a PDF file, because your Android phone needs storage space to store and render PDF files.
- Lack of necessary permissions. You need to grant the PDF viewer the necessary permission to access your PDF files. If you use Adobe Acrobat Reader, you should ensure that protected-mode security is disabled.
After mastering the possible causes, let’s learn how to resolve the Android phone can’t open PDF error. In the following paragraphs, I’ll show you six feasible solutions. Let’s check these solutions one by one.
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READ MORE >Solution 1. Verify the PDF File
At first, you’d better check if the PDF file itself causes the error. What you need to do is open the PDF file on other Android phones or computers. Or, you can use other PDF viewers, like SwifDoo PDF for Android, to open the PDF file.
If the PDF file cannot be opened, it shows that the file may be corrupted. You need to re-download the PDF or ask the sender to resend the PDF. If the PFD file can be opened on other devices and PDF viewers, it indicates that the file is OK, and the error is caused by something else. Just read on for other solutions.
Solution 2. Free Up the Storage Space
You need to ensure that your Android phone has enough storage space to save and render PDF files. Just uninstall some infrequently used software and remove unnecessary photos and files. Meanwhile, you can upload files and photos to cloud services, like Google Photos and Google Drive.
Solution 3. Reinstall or Update the PDF Viewer
You can try uninstalling the PDF viewer and then reinstalling it on your Android phone. If it doesn’t work, check if there is a latest version of the PDF viewer. If so, update it to the newest version. Generally, the latest version fixes bugs in older versions and introduces new features.
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READ MORE >Solution 4. Clear the Excessive Data and Cache
Sometimes, large amounts of application data and cache can prevent an application from functioning properly. You need to clear the app data and cache. For most Android phones, you can go to Settings > Apps > [target PDF viewer app] > Storage and tap the Clear Cache option.
Meanwhile, you need to check if you grant the PDF viewer the Storage permission to access the files on your phone.
Solution 5. Use Reliable PDF Viewers
A reliable Android PDF viewer enables you to open and view PDF documents in a good way. I have used and tested various PDF viewers. Finally, I rounded up four excellent PDF viewers for you to choose from. They are SwifDoo PDF for Android, Foxit PDF Editor, Google PDF Viewer, and Adobe Acrobat Reader. Among those PDF viewers for Android, I strongly recommend SwifDoo PDF for Android.
SwifDoo PDF for Android not only enables you to view PDFs but also provides various reading modes to view them without eye strain. Additionally, it supports adding annotations to PDF documents, converting PDF to DWG, DOCX, and other formats, compressing PDFs, and more. You can click the button below to explore and enjoy various features of SwifDoo PDF for Android. Furthermore, SwifDoo PDF is also available on iPhone.
If you fail to open PDF files and want to edit them on a Windows or Mac computer, SwifDoo PDF can also give you a hand.
Solution 6. Convert the PDF file
Still can’t open PDF files on Android phone? Don’t worry! The last solution you can try is converting PDFs to PDF/A or image formats, like PNG and JPG. Those formats can be handled on Android phones easily. How can you do that? SwifDoo PDF for Android can help you convert a PDF to a PNG image. Just try it!
Final Words
When you encounter the “can’t open PDF files on Android phone” issue, it's essential to understand the possible causes and then find the right solutions to resolve the problem. From this post, we can know that the problem can be caused by the PDF file itself, the PDF viewer, or the Android phone. Once you experience that problem, just try the six workable solutions above.
