A simple, built in PDF reader for Windows 8
Windows Reader is the first PDF reader that has been baked into a Windows operating system.
Previous versions of Windows always shipped without a PDF reader, leaving users to find their own PDF readers like the ubiquitous Adobe Acrobat Reader. Of course there were plenty of great lightweight PDF readers like Foxit Reader that users could download but now they won't have to.
Windows Reader is another Metro-inspired app that keeps its interface as minimal as possible. When you first open the app up, you're greeted with a file browser. After you select the PDF you want to read, you're displayed with a full screen PDF file. Right click to bring up the menus on the bottom to search, change the layout, and save.
Most PDF readers are pretty basic and Windows Reader is no different. There are some nice details like the ability to rotate, bookmark, highlight, and annotate PDFs but that's about it. Windows Reader is basic but that's its beauty. Microsoft doesn't want Windows Reader to compete with Adobe Acrobat Pro or other PDF viewers/editors. It is just there as feature for the consumer.
Overall, Windows Reader is a stable, snappy, and intuitive PDF viewer. Most consumers should be satisfied enough with its feature set.
User reviews about Windows Reader
by Anonymous
Stinks.
I hate everything that opens with an invasive tile while wipes out myriad other things I'm working on at the same time. It loads slow and commandeers the entire screen, pretty much the two things I DON'T want it to do.
Pros:
it's a nice shade of red
Cons:
invasive tile-style app
takes several seconds longer to load than Adobe and other PDF readers More
by Anonymous
NOT WORTH IT! Pales in comparison to regular Adobe reader..
For someone who has to do a lot of research, pdfs are a large part of my life. Having multiple windows open at the same time, maybe two pdf files, a Word document, and Chrome, is a regular thing for my computer screen. This pdf reader is all show and no functionality. You cannot open multiple files, you cannot change the size of the window without it being a strip on the side of the screen, and you cannot even have it on the same "screen" as regular desktop programs. Don't bother! Microsoft really screwed this one up! Download it for free from the adobe website!
Pros:
Aesthetic pleasure
Cons:
Open multiple files!
Shrink to different sizes! More