Google continues to improve PDF Reader features and capabilities in the Chrome web browser. To the latest, the company added support for XFA-based PDF forms. Here’s how you can open XFA forms in Chrome PDF Viewer.
What is XFA?
XFA stands for XML Forms Architecture. XFA forms are embedded inside PDF documents, the user can fill the data and print them.
You can type data in the XFA form, but you can’t save it. For future reference, you may want to take a print of the completed form.
How to know a PDF is an XFA?
Your PDF Viewer may display this information if it doesn’t support XFA forms.
As of writing, Firefox and the new Microsoft Edge don’t display this type of PDF form.
“If this message is not eventually replaced by proper contents of the document, your PDF Viewer may not able to display this type of document“.
It’s obvious Adobe Acrobat DC supports this PDF.
If you want to open all types of PDF documents, then you should be using PDF Reader from Adobe and Chrome, in the future.
Chrome PDF Viewer
Chrome comes built-in with PDF Viewer. It renders PDFs seamlessly as if they’re web pages.
Google has packed Chrome with the following PDF Features:
- New UI, updated toolbar, Table of contents
- display Page thumbnails in the sidebar
- Fill and save PDF forms
- The new presentation mode becomes most useful in meetings. It removes distractions such as toolbar, tabs, and address bar. This is not switching fullscreen mode, Google has done work on this.
- Document properties
- Annotations support
- Two page View
Now, Chrome PDF Viewer in Canary 95 has got support for XFA forms as well.
How to open and view XFA PDF in Chrome browser
- Launch Chrome browser
- Visit chrome://flags
- Search for XFA”, in the dropdown for “PDF XFA support“, select Enabled and restart Chrome browser
- Now open any PDF that has XFA form embedded inside it, it will open in Chrome.
Microsoft Edge PDF Reader is also getting better
Microsoft Edge comes closer to Adobe Reader in terms of PDF features.
Microsoft ported most of Edge Legacy PDF features to the new Edge.
Edge supports PDF form filling, smooth scrolling, digital signatures, table of contents, Read aloud, video and text comments, and much more.
More on Chrome:
Chrome’s Manage Search Engines Page getting a big upgrade
Chrome Warns of Progressive Web App Icon change
Does new chrome pdf viewer supports opening protected pdfs (without Adobe or acrobat plugin)?