A few days ago, I ran into an issue where my PDF files refused to open on my Android phone. I tried tapping on them, but nothing happened. Sometimes, I got an error saying, “Cannot open file,” or “PDF viewer has stopped working.”

After spending hours troubleshooting and checking various forums (including Reddit and Quora), I finally figured out the exact fixes that worked—and I’ll share them with you in this guide.

Whether you’re seeing a “PDF file not opening” error, a blank screen, or your phone simply refuses to recognize PDFs, follow these steps to fix it instantly.

How I Instantly Fixed It

The first thing to do is clear the default PDF viewer application from the settings.

Then, download a new PDF viewer and open the PDF using this new app.

If that doesn’t help, try renaming the PDF file.

To do this, long-press to rename the file and change “.PDF” to “.pdf.”

The third fix to try is clearing the cached files of the current PDF viewer app.

If you want to follow the steps with screenshots, scroll below

How I Fixed My PDFs Not Opening on Android (Step-by-Step Guide)

When I first encountered the frustrating “can’t open PDF” error on my Android device, it seemed like it came out of nowhere. One minute, everything was working fine, and the next, I couldn’t access any of my PDF files. I decided to dig deep, test several fixes, and even scoured Reddit and forums to find solutions that had worked for others. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how I solved the problem, along with feedback from other users.

Fix 1: Check File Permissions (Android 13 & 14 Issue)

Android 13+ requires stricter file access permissions for apps like Adobe Acrobat and Google Drive. If your PDF viewer can’t access storage, it won’t open PDFs.

How to Grant PDF App Storage Permissions

1. Open Settings → Apps
2. Select your PDF viewer (Adobe, Drive, etc.)
3. Tap Permissions → Allow Storage Access
4. Restart your phone & try opening the PDF again

✅ Test It: If it works now, permissions were blocking your PDF viewer.

Fix 2. Install or Reinstall a Reliable PDF Reader

In my case, the first thing I tried was installing a new PDF reader app. Often, the pre-installed apps, like Adobe Acrobat (not sponsored), either don’t have all the features or try to push you into their premium services, which can cause frustration. I switched to Foxit PDF and Google PDF Viewer, both lightweight, free options with excellent functionality.

If your default PDF viewer is broken, install a better alternative from Google Play.

Best PDF Viewers for Android (2025 Edition)

• ✅ Adobe Acrobat Reader (Best Overall)
• 📂 Xodo PDF Reader (Best for Annotations)
• ⚡ Foxit PDF Reader (Lightweight & Fast)

✔️ How I fixed it: I installed Xodo PDF Reader, and it opened my PDFs instantly—while Adobe kept crashing.

✅ Test It: Install a new viewer, open a PDF, and check if it works.

Fix 3. Clear the Default App for Opening PDFs

This was a big one for me. Android automatically uses a default app for certain file types, and sometimes, this default app can be outdated or glitchy. I cleared my default PDF app preferences, and it instantly prompted my phone to use a different app.

How I fixed it: I realized that my PDFs were opening with Chrome instead of Adobe Acrobat—which was causing glitches. Changing the default PDF app fixed everything instantly.

How to Change Default PDF Viewer on Android

1. Open Settings → Apps & Notifications
2. Tap Default Apps → Open by Default
3. Select PDFs → Choose Adobe Acrobat or Google Drive
4. Tap Set as Default

✅ Test It: Open any PDF file from your file manager to see if it opens properly now.

User Insight: Reddit user u/DStellati suggested, “Disable ‘use as default’… next time you open a PDF, you will be prompted to open it in a different app.”

Here a video link, which will guide you with Changing the default PDF viewer app.

Fix 4. Use Built-In PDF Readers (Google Drive or Browser)

After trying a few third-party apps, I remembered that my Android device has built-in solutions like Google Drive and Chrome that can handle PDFs directly. These worked perfectly when my other apps failed. Why This Works: Google Drive and browsers like Chrome have native PDF viewers that are optimized and bug-free.

• Fix Steps:
  • Upload your PDF to Google Drive and view it there.
  • Or, open the file using Chrome or Firefox.

Fix 5. Change File Extension from .PDF to .pdf

This was a surprising fix, but sometimes it’s not the app that’s the problem — it’s the file name. Files with special characters or uppercase extensions like “.PDF” may not open properly. Simply renaming the file can solve this issue. Why This Works: Some apps can’t handle certain file names or extensions, and renaming it forces the app to recognize the file.

• User Tip: u/FLWVideosYT on Reddit shared, “Weirdly, if I rename the PDFs from ‘.PDF’ to ‘.pdf’, it works… so dumb.”

• Fix Steps:
  • Use File Manager to navigate to the file.
  • Long-press to Rename the file and change “.PDF” to “.pdf.”
  • Open the file again.

Fix 6: Download the PDF Again (If Corrupt)

If your PDF is incomplete or damaged, it won’t open, no matter what app you use. I found that re-downloading it solved the issue instantly.

How to Fix Corrupt PDF Files on Android

1. Delete the broken PDF
2. Re-download it from the original source
3. Make sure you have a stable internet connection
4. Open the newly downloaded file

✅ Test It: If the new file opens, your previous PDF was corrupt. If it still doesn’t open, try Fix 4.

Fix 7. Clear Cache and Data of PDF Apps

If your PDF viewer app keeps crashing or showing a blank screen, it might be due to corrupt cache files. Clearing cache resolves 90% of app-related issues.

How to Clear Cache in PDF Viewer Apps

• Fix Steps:
  • Go to Open Settings → Apps
  • Find Adobe Acrobat / Google Drive / PDF Viewer
  • Tap Storage & Cache → Clear Cache
  • Restart your phone & try opening the PDF again

🚨 If clearing the cache doesn’t work, tap Clear Storage (this will reset the app to factory settings, so re-login if needed).

Fix 8. Disable MiniApp PDF Viewer (for Microsoft Edge)

If you’re using Microsoft Edge, the MiniApp PDF viewer can cause issues when opening PDFs. Disabling this option within the app settings cleared up the problem for me.

• User Comment: Reddit user u/bibskin noted, “Disable the MiniApp PDF viewer by navigating to edge://flags/#edge-miniapp-pdf-viewer.”

• Fix Steps:
  • Open Edge.
  • In the URL bar, type edge://flags/#edge-miniapp-pdf-viewer.
  • Find the setting and disable it.

Fix 9. Uninstall the Problematic PDF App

If all else fails, sometimes the easiest solution is to simply uninstall the problematic app and let Android default to something else. Why This Works: By removing the faulty app, you force your device to use an alternative, built-in PDF reader like Google Drive.

• Fix Steps:
  • Go to Settings > Apps.
  • Select the app you’re having trouble with (e.g., Adobe Acrobat).
  • Tap Uninstall.

Fix 10. Update Android OS or the PDF Reader App

If none of the above solutions work, the issue might be that your Android OS or PDF reader app is outdated. Keeping everything up to date ensures compatibility with new files and formats.

• Fix Steps:
  • Go to Settings > Software Update and make sure your system is up to date.
  • Check for updates on the Google Play Store for your PDF reader app.

Fix 11. Use a Different File Manager

In some cases, the default File Manager might not be fully compatible with advanced file formats like PDFs. I switched to Solid Explorer to help with file handling.

• Fix Steps:
  • Download Solid Explorer from the Google Play Store.
  • Navigate to your Downloads folder and try opening the file from there.

Fix 12. Factory Reset or Device Restart (Last Resort)

As a last resort, restarting or resetting your device can fix deep-rooted system issues. Just remember that factory resetting will wipe your device, so only do this if all else fails.

• Fix Steps:
  • Hold down the Power button and select Restart.
  • If that doesn’t work, try a factory reset: Settings > System > Reset Options > Factory Reset.

If Gmail on your Android isn’t previewing PDFs, there could be deeper issues beyond basic glitches. I’ve found a few advanced fixes that work well. First, try clearing the cache and data for Google Play Services (Settings > Apps > Google Play Services > Storage > Clear Cache/Clear Data). Restart your phone, as this often resolves background conflicts.

If that doesn’t help, misconfigured file associations might be the issue. Download a different PDF viewer like Adobe Acrobat from the Play Store, open a PDF, and set it as the default. Another fix is to adjust battery optimization settings; go to Settings > Battery > Battery Optimization, find Gmail, and set it to Don’t optimize. This keeps Gmail’s processes running smoothly.

Alternatively, you can open PDFs through Google Drive by selecting Open with Google Drive from the attachment in Gmail. If all else fails, try a different PDF reader like Foxit or Xodo to bypass any compatibility problems with Gmail’s native viewer. These methods tackle the more technical issues that might disrupt Gmail’s ability to preview PDFs on Android.

Conclusion

In my experience, the “can’t open PDF” issue came down to trying different apps and resetting some default settings. Based on advice from Reddit and Android forums, I found that simply clearing defaults, using alternatives like Foxit, or resetting the cache solved the issue. I hope these solutions work for you too! Let me know which fix helped, and feel free to share your experience.

For me, the fastest fix was changing my default PDF viewer—I switched from Google Drive to Adobe Acrobat, and everything worked instantly.

However, if that doesn’t work for you, clearing the cache and checking storage permissions should fix 99% of PDF-related issues.

That’s it for today’s blog post! Today, I tried showing you all the proven ways to fix Android not opening PDF files. Last time, I shared how to change the default PDF viewer application, but some people still find it difficult to view or open these file types. I hope this helps you, and if it does, let me know in the comment section or contact us. Have a nice day!