PDF-XChange Viewer: A Free PDF Reader Worth Considering
A Detailed Look at PDF-XChange Viewer: A Free PDF Reader
Last month, we reviewed the Nuance PDF Reader, a desktop application capable of converting PDF documents into Word, Excel, or Rich Text formats. Several readers expressed appreciation for its conversion capabilities and subsequently recommended another complimentary PDF reader.
While not Adobe Reader or Foxit, this alternative is a less prominent, yet powerful, option known as PDF-XChange Viewer. Considering download statistics from CNET for document management software, it ranks behind the more established players, but its download numbers are still remarkably significant.
Why Review PDF-XChange Viewer Now?
The impetus for this review stems directly from reader feedback. The positive recommendations from our audience provided ample justification for a more thorough examination of this free PDF reader.
We previously mentioned it briefly in a post detailing lightweight alternatives to Adobe Reader and another focusing on converting PDFs to JPG images. However, PDF-XChange Viewer deserves dedicated attention.
The free version of PDF-XChange Viewer, the focus of this review, is a relatively compact 18MB download. This makes it larger than Foxit Reader but smaller than Adobe Reader. It’s available in various installation packages, including a portable version for convenient use.
Upon initial launch, the free PDF reader demonstrates impressive loading speed. Let's test it with one of our MakeUseOf eBooks and explore its features.
A notable feature is its sleek, tabbed interface, allowing simultaneous viewing of multiple PDF files within a single program instance. During installation, you’ll observe that the PDF-XChange Viewer Help file requires approximately 6MB of space.
This translates to a comprehensive and detailed Help file, ideal for users who prefer a thorough understanding of their software.
The toolbar initially appears somewhat cluttered. This is because the software defaults to loading all available toolbars. Customization is easily achieved through a right-click on the toolbar area and selecting Customize.
A quick glance at the toolbar buttons reveals the breadth of features offered, with those exclusive to the paid Pro version clearly indicated.
Key Features of PDF-XChange Viewer
PDF-XChange Viewer facilitates smooth navigation with its Pan and Loupe tools, found within the Zoom Toolbar. Zooming is achievable via a slider, but the Loupe and Pan and Zoom tools provide dedicated windows for focused navigation of specific document areas.
Beyond a standard document search box, PDF-XChange Viewer includes a web search toolbar, initially set to Ask.com (with additional engines configurable via Preferences). When searching within a document, you can also include comments and bookmarks in the search criteria.
PDF-XChange Viewer functions as a "limited" document converter, enabling the export of PDF pages to various image formats. The Export to Image dialog box offers a rich set of features, as illustrated in the screenshot.
You can directly email a PDF document from within the reader, with the document title automatically populated in the email's Subject line.
PDF-XChange Viewer supports interactive forms (AcroForms). The Form Data menu allows data entry and retrieval from Adobe Acrobat Forms. Selecting View - Other Panes - Fields opens a side pane displaying all form fields, enhancing their visibility with highlighting.
Commenting & Markup Capabilities
Each PDF reader possesses unique strengths. For PDF-XChange Viewer, it’s the extensive suite of commenting and markup tools. The sub-menu accessible via Tools - Comment and Markup provides a glimpse of these capabilities.
PDF-XChange Viewer provides a comprehensive array of tools for detailed markups, including various shapes and line options. For freehand sketches, the Pencil tool offers a flexible solution.
Adding comments and annotations to PDFs is straightforward. The Sticky Note tool allows placement of comments wherever needed, with the option for replies via the Add Reply button. The appearance of both the text and the container can be modified at any time.
The Callout Tool enables the creation of text boxes with arrows pointing to specific locations on the page.
For direct text annotations, the Typewriter or Textbox Tool are available.
The Stamps sub-menu allows marking documents with pre-defined stamps. Custom stamps, such as scanned signatures, can be added via the Stamps Palette.
For navigation between internal and external locations, the Link Tools provide convenient options for linking to specific points within the PDF or external websites.
Further Exploration
The preceding sections highlight the most prominent features of PDF-XChange Viewer. Delving deeper into the Preferences menu reveals further customization options. Security is addressed with 40/128 bit RC4 and 128/256 bit AES Encryption and Password support for the security-conscious user.
The Preferences section also allows for adjustments to memory usage and performance tuning.
In addition to the detailed Help file, the product website offers informative screenshots and how-to videos to guide users.
Are there any drawbacks? Few. The ability to add custom bookmarks in the free version would be a welcome addition. However, expecting perfection from a completely free product is unrealistic. PDF-XChange Viewer excels in most areas.
We encourage you to test it and compare it to your experiences with Foxit or Adobe Reader.
PDF-XChange Viewer (version 2.0) is compatible with Windows 2000 and all subsequent versions.
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