PDF.js, PDF Viewer in Firefox now supports AcroForm and XFA forms and tagged PDFS. Mozilla has added support for them in Firefox 93.
Firefox PDF Viewer
Like, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox comes with a built-in PDF Viewer.
Firefox lets you view PDF files you encounter on the web in the browser without needing to open them in an external application. If you click on a PDF link or open any PDF in the download panel it will be rendered by Firefox PDF Viewer.
Features:
- Supports filling out forms and displays thumbnail view of PDF Pages in sidebar easier navigation.
- After Chrome, Firefox supports Presentation mode, this could be viewing a PDF in fullscreen unlike in Chrome.
- Provides a download button for saving PDF to the computer.
- Allows copying PDF’s current view and open it in a separate tab.
- Now renders XFA PDFs
Note: Keep in mind, Firefox is not a full-fledged PDF Viewer, if Firefox doesn’t display fonts, colors, or renders the whole PDF document blank, then you have to download it to your device and open it with third-party PDF Reader such as Adobe Reader installed on your computer.
Firefox 93 or later versions, supports opening XFA format PDF now.
What is XFA PDF form?
XFA stands for XML Forms architecture. Basically, these allow fill-in and save PDF forms locally. These PDFs are used by Banks and Governments.
Open XFA PDF forms in Firefox
If you found an XFA based PDF form during a visit to a website, you can now fill it in using Firefox PDF Viewer and print it for future reference, but you can’t save it.
If PDF Viewer or Application doesn’t support XFA form, it will be displayed like below, otherwise, the PDF document will be rendered and displayed by supported PDF Viewer.
Chrome already supports XFA based PDFs, but it is behind a flag and the feature is not available by default.
Now, starting with version 93 or above, Firefox opens these PDFs just fine. The first screenshot included in the article confirms the same.
Now and then, if you receive an XFA form, you can use Firefox to see and fill it and further send it to others.
Microsoft Edge doesn’t yet support this type of PDFs, it shows a “please wait” message since it is unsupported.
Apart from this, Firefox 93 version
- blocks insecure downloads by default
- improves memory and CPU by unloading tabs when system memory is low.
- also has got a simplified Private browsing page.
And, Firefox Focus 93 shipped with a new UI.
Do you use Firefox PDF Viewer? Have you found the new feature useful? Let us know in the comments below.
More on Firefox:
Mozilla Firefox introduces ‘Colorways’ themes
You can still install and use PWAs in Firefox browser, thanks to this Extension