PDF files
Adobe Reader
Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) retains the formatting and layout of print documents when they appear online. PDF files look the same regardless of the hardware, software, operating system, or screen resolution they are displayed on.
Adobe Reader is free. You can use it to view and print PDF files on all major computer platforms, including hand-held devices.
Downloading or viewing PDF files
If your web browser is properly configured and Adobe Reader installed, you will be able to view PDF files within the browser or download them to read them offline.
- To view a PDF within your web browser, left-click the link to the PDF document.
- To download a PDF, right-click the link and select Save Target As, Download Linked File, Save Link As or a similar menu item. (The terminology will differ depending on the web browser you are using). You can then choose your prefered download location and filename.
Some versions of Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat have a default feature called 'automatically detect URLs from text'. As this can sometimes cause a problem if a web address (URL) is split between lines or when the underlying text is not recognized properly, it is best to turn this feature off if you want to view PDFs on the website.
Last reviewed 1 November 2010
Last updated 29 April 2010