Microsoft To Remove Legacy PDF Reader From Edge Replacing With Adobe Acrobat

Microsoft has announced that it is entering into a new partnership with Adobe: Starting in March, the Edge web browser will have an integrated PDF reader with many extras in the form of the Adobe Acrobat PDF engine.

Microsoft promises Edge users a completely new user experience for digital documents directly in the web browser. Some are available for free, but other features require a subscription – and that earns a bit of criticism from the two companies as part of the announcement. Many new functions without extra costs would have been desirable.

Paid options include the ability to edit text and images, convert PDFs to other file formats, and combine files. Users must purchase an Acrobat subscription, which allows access to these features anywhere, not just in Edge via a browser extension, but also in the Adobe app. Microsoft Edge users with an existing Adobe Acrobat subscription can use the Acrobat extension within Edge at no additional cost.

Starting Soon

Adobe Acrobat PDF technology is scheduled to be available in Microsoft Edge in March 2023 on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

For companies, Microsoft provides more information in the Techcommunity. It is about the transition phase and tips for use. Microsoft plans to gradually transition to the built-in Microsoft Edge PDF reader using the Adobe Acrobat PDF rendering engine. First, companies are launching an opt-in option for managed devices. The group’s current plans are to remove the current Microsoft Edge PDF solution with the legacy engine, probably in March 2024. Until then, it’s time for a change.