Good day!

Magazines, books, scanned documents, forms, drawings and much more are now often distributed in PDF format. Whether you like it or not, without special software for working with these formats - it’s neither here nor there...

Actually, in this article I have collected some of the most popular products for working with this format. I think that the material will be relevant both for those who have encountered some problem and cannot read a specific PDF file, and for those who are looking for a convenient tool for everyday tasks.

The article will present programs of different types, functionality, design, and requirements for system resources. I hope everyone will be able to choose a “software” for their current tasks. And so, closer to the point...

Remark!

For example, formats such as txt, fb2, html, rtf, doc are much more convenient to read in special formats. e-readers than in Word or Notepad.Link -

Top 6 PDF Viewers

Adobe Acrobat Reader

My website page saved in PDF is open

One of the most common programs for PDF reader (which is not surprising, since Acrobat Reader is a product from the developer of this format) .

It has some of the widest capabilities for reading, printing and PDF editing. I would like to note that not so long ago this reader was integrated with the “cloud” (Adobe Document Cloud), thanks to which it can now work simultaneously on a PC and mobile gadgets it has become much more convenient!

It must be said that Adobe Acrobat Reader has amazing compatibility: some PDF files (especially large ones), which are not displayed correctly in any other readers, are presented here in normal mode.

Therefore, in my opinion, even if you do not use this particular program, it would not be a bad idea to have it in reserve...

Add. possibilities:

  • quickly convert PDF file to formats Word programs or Excel;
  • Now it is not necessary to have paper forms - you can fill them out in in electronic format and send by mail. Adobe Acrobat Reader allows you to do this;
  • in addition to the Adobe Document Cloud, you can configure your system so that PDF will be available on such popular cloud drives like: Box, Dropbox and ;
  • The reader allows you to create annotations and comments on the files being viewed.

STDU Viewer

Very compact, free and universal program for reading a variety of formats: PDF, DjVu, XPS, TIFF, TXT, BMP, GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, etc.

I would highlight the key advantages: low demands on PC resources, you can open several documents at once in one window, the contents with quick links are displayed on the side panel. There is also a conveniently built-in bookmark system that allows you to return to the last place you read in one click.

In addition, easy page scaling, rotating pages 90-180 degrees, printing a document, adjusting gamma and contrast, etc. are available.

There is a possibility PDF conversion And DjVu files into text formats. In general, the program deserves attention and acquaintance!

Foxit Reader

A very convenient PDF file reader. I would like to immediately note its relatively low system requirements(in relation to the same Adobe Reader), a convenient bookmark system, a side menu (with contents open book), modern interface. In general, the abundance of all kinds of functions and capabilities is amazing (in fact, you can say: multifunctional program).

Peculiarities:

  • the program interface is as close as possible to Word, Excel, etc. (which causes a clear affinity for the product);
  • opportunity quick setup toolbars (add what you often need and remove what you don’t use);
  • the program supports touch screen(in full);
  • opportunity PDF creation-portfolio;
  • filling out PDF (Acroform) and XFA forms (XML form architecture);
  • support for all modern versions of Windows 7, 8, 10.

Sumatra PDF

Supported Formats: PDF, eBook, XPS, DjVu, CHM.

If you are looking for a very simple, compact and quick program For PDF viewer- then I’m not afraid to say that Sumatra PDF will be best choice! Both the program itself and the files in it open as quickly as your system allows.

Peculiarities:

  • The design is made in the style of minimalism (so popular recently). Main priority functions: viewing and printing files;
  • support for 60 languages ​​(including Russian);
  • available portable version, which does not require installation (you can carry it with you on a flash drive, and if anything happens, you can open a PDF on any PC);
  • Unlike its analogues (including Adobe Acrobat Reader), the program correctly scales pictures in black and white (very useful thing when reading books);
  • correctly reads and recognizes hyperlinks embedded in PDF;
  • Sumatra does not block open PDF file(relevant for those who work with TeX systems);
  • Windows XP, 7, 8, 10 (32.64 bits) are supported.

PDF-XChange Viewer

Multifunctional program for viewing PDF files. I would especially like to note its relatively low system requirements, rich functionality, simple and user-friendly interface. By the way, the program supports the Russian language.

Peculiarities:

  • detailed settings of the font, display of pictures, navigation settings, etc. allow you to comfortably read even large files;
  • the ability to view several files at once (including protected ones);
  • detailed configuration of the viewing area and toolbar;
  • the ability to convert PDF documents into image formats: BMP, JPEG, TIFF, PNG, etc.;
  • integration with popular ABBYY translators Lingvo and Translate It!
  • There are plugins for IE and Firefox browsers;
  • the ability to send PDF by email directly from the viewing window (very convenient when you have a lot of scanned documents);
  • allows you to extract text from PDF, and much more...

Hamster PDF Reader

Simple, convenient, tasteful! Hamster PDF Reader (preview with home page of. site)

Hamster PDF Reader - regarding new program, which allows you to view not only PDF, but also formats such as XPS, DjVu. The program interface is designed in the style of Office 2016 (similar to Foxit Reader).

The program is not replete with functions, but it has everything that most people need: viewing settings (font, sheet, brightness, full screen mode, etc.), printing, bookmarks, etc.

Another plus: the program does not need to be installed (there is a portable version). Thus, you can write it to a flash drive and always have it on hand for working with PDF.

In general, it’s an interesting and uncluttered product that allows you to solve the most mundane tasks.

Additions on the topic are welcome...

All the best and happy reading!

On our website you can download PDF program Master immediately and without any registration. The PDF text format is one of the most famous, so it is not surprising that there are many utilities that help you open such documents.

PDFMaster has an excellent interface and will allow you to easily read the entire text or find the desired part in a voluminous document. PDFMaster includes a free PDF Printer module.

How to download the free PDF program

  • Select the file that suits you (exe or zip).
  • Click to load with left mouse button.
  • Run the file.
  • Follow the instructions to install the program.
PDFMaster is really easy to download and no one will face any additional difficulties in downloading.

In addition, by downloading the program from our official website, you can be sure that you will not harm your computer. All files are checked for viruses, and nothing threatens the security of your system.

PDF Master will not take up much space in your computer's memory, but with this simple and convenient program You can easily view any document in PDF format.

Our PDF reader You can download it much faster than the classic product provided by Adobe, because PDF Master weighs much less.

Using the basic instructions, you can really install on your computer useful utility with a nice interface.

PDF Master will delight you with an intuitive menu where there are many useful functions, which no other PDF reader provides.

How to uninstall PDFMaster?

You can delete at any time Software PDFMaster from your computer. All elements of the operating system on which the PDFMaster Software was installed are returned to their previous form. PDFMaster executable files are also removed from the operating system.

Uninstall PDFMaster Software operating system families Microsoft Windows possible through the "Programs and Features" menu by selecting "PDFMaster" from the menu, or from installed menu Programs select "Uninstall PDFMaster".

The PDF (Portable Document Format) format is perfect for presenting various printed materials in electronic form, for publishing books, magazines, instructions and other documents on the Internet. To create and convert files to this format There are many programs, which we will talk about in this article.

This program was developed by the well-known company ABBYY and is a very powerful tool for creating PDF from text files and images. The software also allows you to convert files various formats to PDF and edit received documents in a convenient editor.

PDF Creator

This is another powerful software for working with PDF files. It can convert documents and pictures, allows you to set up profiles, and has functions for protecting and transferring files by email.

The editor in this case is supplied as a separate module and includes a rich arsenal of tools for changing PDF content and parameters.

PDF24 Creator

Despite the similar name, this representative is fundamentally different from the previous software. This program, according to the developers, is a PDF document designer. With its help you can convert, optimize and merge files, as well as send them by e-mail.

The main feature of PDF24 Creator is integration with Internet services that provide additional tools for document processing, including virtual fax - payable service with highlighting virtual number and the ability to send fax messages from any application that has such a function.

PDF Pro

PDF Pro is a professional converter and editor. In addition to the ability to export to various formats, edit content, optimize and configure security, it has the function of creating documents from web pages. main feature programs – the ability to automate the execution of similar operations by creating and saving actions. This feature allows you to significantly speed up document editing.

7-PDF Maker

This software is intended exclusively for converting documents to PDF. 7-PDF Maker has flexible settings security, allows you to view files using the built-in reader, and can also be controlled from "Command line".

PDF Combine

This program is designed to combine multiple files of supported formats into one document. Despite the fact that the software performs only one function, it includes many settings for this operation. This includes importing bookmarks, adding covers and footers, pasting pages and security settings.

pdfFactory Pro

pdfFactory Pro is a virtual printer driver that integrates into all applications that support printing. With its help, you can create PDF from any data that can be printed. The program includes a simple editor that can encrypt files and protect them with passwords.

PDF Complete

This is another program with virtual printer and editor functions. PDF Complete also allows you to print documents, configure security settings, and change content on pages.

CutePDF Writer

This software does not have its own GUI and works solely as a printing tool. CutePDF Writer is integrated into programs and has a minimum number of settings. Distinctive feature is having access to free online editor PDF documents.

The software presented in this review allows you to create, convert and process PDF files. These programs can be divided into two categories - editors or converters with a large set of tools and virtual printers that are easier to use. The former, in most cases, are real document processors, while the latter only print data - texts and images.

PDF Creator is a program for creating documents in PDF format.

The program creates in the system virtual printer, which is used to print text and graphic files various formats, converting them to PDF or one of the following formats: PNG, JPEG, BMP, PCX, TIFF, PS or EPS.

If you need to create a paper copy of a PDF document, it is sent to any other printer installed in the system. It is possible to display an additional dialog box with printer properties or printing options.

During installation of the program, you can select a standard or server configuration. With a standard installation, the program works like this: local printer. With a server configuration, PDFCreator creates in the system network printer and users local network can remotely use all program functions.

    Additional features of PDFCreator:
  • Works with any program that supports printing.
  • The ability to encrypt PDF documents and protect them from viewing and printing.
  • Ability to send PDF files via email.
  • Combine multiple files into one PDF file.
  • Automatically save documents into folders with file names based on tags.
  • Multilingual interface, including in Russian.
  • PDFCreator is free for personal and commercial use.

Guide to getting started with the program - Installing PDFCreator and creating PDF.

You can download PDFCreator on the official website http://www.pdfforge.org/pdfcreator/download

Scribus- free pre-press program, desktop publishing system. Free analogue Adobe InDesign and QuarkXPress.

The program allows you to create layouts and typesetting documents intended for printed printing, presentations, PDF documents for subsequent printing or posting on the Internet, interactive PDFs with fillable forms and buttons for user interaction.

Using Scribus you can create magazines, newspapers, brochures, calendars, and print advertisements.

    Some Scribus features:
  • Supports many formats: XML, EPS, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, PSD, XPM, SVG, HTML, OpenOffice.org and Microsoft Office document formats.
  • It has tools for drawing, setting fonts, and entering formulas.
  • Performs hyphenation and spell checking.
  • Supports color profiles CMYK and RGB.
  • The program interface is in 27 languages, including Russian and Ukrainian.

The program is not easy to learn, but thanks to the active development of the project and the large community, there is plenty of documentation on working with the program. Anyone who takes the time to master Scribus will be able to layout their own magazine or create a professional e-book.

Official website of the program: https://www.scribus.net

OpenOffice- free office suite.

Includes components for working with text, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, and vector graphics.

The OpenOffice.org platform meets the most stringent requirements for office suites.
Description in section

The programs discussed in this review for creating PDF documents function by creating pseudo-printers on your system. All you need to do is simply open the desired document and send it to a PDF printer.

It is worth noting that, basically, these programs differ in the set of available options.

Note: Of course, the final size also plays a role, but this parameter is sometimes not as significant as the ability to add a watermark or set a password on a PDF document.

One of the problems with this approach is that you need to have a program to open and print the documents you want to convert. The logic here is obvious. If you can't open the file for conversion, you won't be able to print it. And since you cannot send a file for printing, then you cannot create a PDF file using a pseudo-printer.

Note: Maybe, this problem It may not seem particularly important to you, but there is one point that may slip through the cracks. You need one more program. And not just another one, but one that can open and print. This could be a problem. For example, you need to convert a file that, on the one hand, is standard (for example, docx - supported with MS Office 2007), on the other hand, you may have a version of OpenOffice installed that does not support this format. Of course, there are ways out in this situation, but they will require time from you.

Note Note: The two products in this review do not have this issue, but only support a limited number of file formats.

This review contains the best free products for creating PDF files. Many other apps were excluded because they were either not free, had a time limit, or were littered with ads (the products themselves are free, but the abundance of ads makes them difficult to use).

These programs were: Bullzip PDF Printer, PDF24, PDFCreator and doPDF.

Note: Latest versions began to include additional components in the installer for full editing of files. However, such components were excluded for several reasons. Firstly, you are required to register. Secondly, quite a large part of the modules are commercial. So the initial use of the program may turn into a search for free modules and constantly opening the site in the browser (for example, PDF Architect 2 from the creators of PDF Creator). Of course, there are a number of features that can be used, but this goes somewhat beyond the idea of ​​a free limited product, where only free features are immediately available. Thirdly, to use these components it will take enough time for the “startup” and “use itself”.

Review of free programs for creating PDF documents

For example, most recommended programs support a lot of settings. On the one hand, this fact is a big plus for experienced users who need to use a number of PDF capabilities. On the other hand, for ordinary users who need simple program for creating PDF files is a big minus.

Of course, the most prominent ones are and, but still, all these programs have their own individual strengths and weak sides. So when choosing a program, be guided by your preferences.

BullZip is a fairly solid program that has been used by many users for a long time. So BullZip has definitely proven that it's worth paying attention to.

The key features of Bullzip PDF Printer are:

  • Set a password to protect your PDF files (PDFCreator also supports this feature)
  • Uses 40 or 128-bit encryption (PDFCreator also supports this feature)
  • Ability to add a watermark (PDFCreator also supports this feature, but in a limited way)
  • Add files to a document (PDFCreator also supports this function)
  • Select different output quality levels (PDFCreator also supports this feature)
  • Add or change metadata (PDFCreator also supports this feature)

Is another strong program that includes most characteristic features BullZip, except that it is a 64-bit version and has limited watermarking capabilities. The program supports many different languages.

However, the program has one unique feature, which greatly distinguishes PDFCreator from other products. We are talking about the possibility of installing a server version. This means that if you have several computers, then you do not need to install the application on each one. It is enough to install it on the "server" as a public printer. And you can create documents from any of the computers that are connected to your network.

This feature can definitely be one of the key points when choosing a program for creating PDF files. After all, after installation, you will not need to think about the questions “is everything installed?” / “will you need to create PDF on this computer?” etc.

Warning: The installer includes OpenCandy. Also during the installation process you receive the PDF Architect 2 kit, which at first may seem like a powerful and necessary addition. But, after several attempts to do something, you will quickly come to the conclusion that using it for free is not convenient.

Comparable to TinyPDF in terms of features. The program provides minimum set functions, but supports setting the quality level of output PDF documents.

As noted earlier in one of the notes, the size of the output file does matter. Here is a small comparison table

Note: Of course you shouldn't use this table as the final truth, since there are a huge number of nuances. But, nevertheless, using this table you can approximately estimate the capabilities of the programs.

Other programs for creating PDF documents

There are also a number of other free programs to create PDF documents. Although they were not included in the main part of the review, they are nevertheless worth paying attention to. They may be able to handle your tasks the way you need them.

  • PrimoPDF. Problem choosing a printer. Freezes for a couple of seconds after selecting. But this may be an isolated case. In terms of speed, the program is slightly behind its analogues. However, the program supports digital signing, reverse conversion from PDF to Word, and much more.
  • NitroPDF Printer. Allows you not only to create, but also to read PDF documents. Supports commenting, text extraction, etc. However, the full set of features is only available in the paid version.
  • PDF Redirect. It also allows you not only to create, but also to read PDF files. Can merge PDF files. Supports encryption. Localized into several languages. The full set of features is only available in the paid version.
  • PDFill PDF and Image Writer. Stable and multifunctional program. Required free adobe Reader. The installer is downloaded via Cnet - this means that the installer may contain unwanted components.

Quick Guide (links to download free programs for creating PDF documents)

Bullzip PDF Printer

Large set of options. Very stable application.
The generated PDF file is not always properly indexed for search; GhostScript 8.64+ is required
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http://www.bullzip.com/products/pdf/info.php
7.6 MB 10.1.0.1871 Unrestricted freeware Windows 2000 - 8
64-bit OS support

PDF24

Can merge PDF documents. Supports receiving file from scanner. Nice interface. Digital signature. Different levels of document quality.
Editing options are limited
http://ru.pdf24.org/pdf-creator-download.html
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15.6 MB 6.7.0 Unrestricted freeware Windows XP/Vista/7/8
64-bit OS support

PDFCreator

Can be installed as a shared printer. Digital signature. Encryption.
OpenCandy. Limited options for adding a watermark. PDF Architect 2 included.
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26.6 MB 1.7.3 Unrestricted freeware Windows 98/2000/XP/Vista/7
64-bit OS support