can't open docs safari

How to Fix Mac Problems With Opening Google Docs: A Step-by-Step Guide

Having trouble opening Google Docs on your Mac? No worries, you’re not alone. Often, this issue can be resolved by clearing your browser’s cache and cookies, ensuring that your browser is up to date, or checking for any browser extensions that may be causing a conflict. Following these quick steps should help to get you back on track with your document editing.

After completing these actions, you should find that Google Docs opens and functions correctly on your Mac. If these steps don’t work, there may be a more significant issue at play, and you might need to delve a bit deeper to find a solution.

Introduction

When it comes to productivity, few tools are as ubiquitous as Google Docs. It’s a fantastic platform for creating and sharing documents online, and it’s particularly popular for Mac users who appreciate its simplicity and integration with other Google services. But what do you do when Google Docs just won’t open on your Mac? It’s a frustrating problem that can grind your productivity to a halt, but fear not—there are solutions.

Understanding why Google Docs isn’t working on your Mac is crucial. It could be a minor glitch with your browser, a problem with your Mac’s software, or an issue with Google’s services. Whatever the cause, it’s a problem that needs fixing fast, especially if you rely on Google Docs for work or school. In this article, we’ll walk through some simple steps to troubleshoot and resolve the issue. These steps are easy enough for anyone to follow, so let’s get started and get your Google Docs up and running again!

Step by Step Tutorial to Fix Mac Problems With Opening Google Docs

Before we dive into the specifics, the following steps will help you troubleshoot and potentially fix any issues you’re experiencing with opening Google Docs on your Mac.

Step 1: Clear Browser Cache and Cookies

Clearing your browser’s cache and cookies can resolve a multitude of issues, including problems with Google Docs.

When you clear your cache and cookies, you’re essentially giving your browser a fresh start. It’s like spring cleaning for your internet experience! This step can resolve issues caused by outdated or corrupted files that may be stored in your browser.

Step 2: Update Your Browser

Ensuring your browser is up-to-date can fix compatibility issues with Google Docs.

Browser updates often include important fixes and performance improvements. Running an outdated browser can lead to issues not just with Google Docs, but with web browsing in general. It’s always a good idea to keep your browser updated to the latest version.

Step 3: Check Browser Extensions

Browser extensions can sometimes interfere with Google Docs, so it’s worth checking for any that could be causing issues.

Extensions can be incredibly useful, but they can also cause unexpected problems. If you suspect an extension might be the culprit, try disabling your extensions one by one to see if Google Docs starts working.

Additional Information

While the steps outlined above will often fix issues with opening Google Docs on Mac, there are a few more things to consider. For instance, if you’re using a VPN or firewall, these could also interfere with Google Docs. Make sure to check your network settings and disable any tools that might be blocking access to Google services.

Sometimes, the issue may be on Google’s end. If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting steps and still can’t access Google Docs, it might be worth checking Google’s status dashboard to see if there are any known issues with their services.

Lastly, if you’re still stuck, consider reaching out for support. Google has a comprehensive support network, and there are also many community forums where you might find others who have encountered and solved similar issues.

• Clear browser cache and cookies
• Update your browser
• Check browser extensions

Frequently Asked Questions

What if clearing the cache and cookies doesn’t work.

If clearing the cache and cookies doesn’t resolve the issue, proceed with updating your browser and checking for problematic extensions.

Can antivirus software affect Google Docs?

Yes, in some cases, antivirus software might block Google Docs. Make sure to check your antivirus settings if you’re having trouble.

Why is it important to update my browser?

Updating your browser ensures you have the latest security features and bug fixes, which can prevent many issues, including problems with Google Docs.

How do I know if an extension is causing issues with Google Docs?

Try disabling your extensions one by one. If Google Docs starts working after disabling a particular extension, you’ve likely found the culprit.

What should I do if Google Docs still won’t open after following these steps?

Check Google’s status dashboard for any known issues, and consider reaching out to Google’s support or community forums for further assistance.

Encountering problems when trying to open Google Docs on your Mac can be annoying, but with the steps provided in this article, you should be able to troubleshoot most issues efficiently. Remember to keep your browser clean and up-to-date, and be mindful of extensions that could be interfering with your workflow.

If you keep running into problems, don’t hesitate to seek help from Google’s support team or tech-savvy friends. Happy documenting!

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

Read his full bio here.

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Safari Can't Open the Page? Here's What to Do

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Safari on macOS is pretty stable. So it might come as a surprise when Safari can't open a page. Such a struggle could tempt you to download or use Firefox, Chrome, or Edge to open the page instead, but you don't have to go down that road just yet.

We'll show you how to get Safari to open web pages normally with some simple troubleshooting tips.

1. Quit and Relaunch Safari

At times, an unknown glitch might prevent Safari from opening sites. You should quit and restart Safari if it fails to open the page to fix these glitches.

If you have any important work open in any of the tabs, save it first. Then press Cmd + Q to quit Safari.

Relaunch Safari as normal to see if it can open the page you wanted to visit now.

2. Check Your Internet Connection If Safari Can't Open a Page

If Safari can't open a page, then it might not be the browser's problem. Your internet connection might be slow or intermittent. You can check that by testing your internet connection speed to see if it's slowing everything down.

Related: How to Access Websites That Won't Load

Since Mac supports dual-band routers, you can switch your internet connection to a 5GHz band (if your router offers it). This can help if too many devices are using the same band (usually the 2.4GHz), slowing down browsing performance.

You can also bring your Mac closer to the router and change the Wi-Fi router's channel for better speeds and reliable connectivity.

3. Safari Can't Open a Page If It Doesn't Exist

By default, the latest Safari version doesn't show the full URL in the address bar, giving a minimalist look instead. If you're trying to open pages of old websites or outdated URLs from your bookmarks, it's a good idea to verify the URL to make sure you got it right.

Click on Safari's address bar to reveal the entire URL. You can then inspect whether it's the one you want to open or a misspelled mistake.

If the URL is incorrect, or the page no longer exists, you'll get the 404 error, which means Safari can't open the page no matter how much you try.

4. Check the DNS Settings for Your Mac

Most people use the default DNS of their Internet Service Provider (ISP). In such cases, an ISP's DNS servers might be choking up. So Safari can struggle to open a web page if it can't use a fast DNS.

Changing to different DNS addresses is often suggested as an easy way to improve your internet speeds. You can use Google's DNS servers to speed up things for your Mac.

Here's how to change DNS addresses on your Mac:

• Open System Preferences and select Network .
• Click on the Advanced button and go to the DNS tab.
• Click the Plus ( + ) button to add Google's Public DNS addresses: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 .
• Click OK on that window and then select Apply to confirm the changes.

Next, open the Terminal and run the following command to clear the DNS cache:

After that, you should try disconnecting and reconnecting to the Wi-Fi network to see whether Safari can open a page or not now.

5. Purge Safari's Cache and Temporary Files

Safari retains a cache from all the websites you visit, just like other browsers do. But if that website data is outdated on your Mac, Safari might say it cannot open a page. It's a good idea to dump Safari's cache every now and then to avoid this problem and make space for new data.

Here's how to purge Safari's Cache:

• Launch Safari, and click Safari > Preferences in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
• Head to the Advanced tab and select the checkbox for Show Develop menu in menu bar at the bottom.
• Close the Preferences window and click Develop > Empty caches to purge all the old Safari cache.

Once you make the Develop menu appear, you can hit Option + Cmd + E to delete the Safari cache at any time. You can also employ Safari browser tweaks to further boost its speed and performance.

6. Check Safari's Website Restrictions in Screen Time

If your Mac runs macOS Catalina or Big Sur, it's worth checking whether you have Screen Time enabled and applying Website Restrictions.

Go to System Preferences > Screen Time and select the Content & Privacy option from the sidebar. That'll reveal whether you've set any rules for blocking certain kinds of websites.

Click on the Turn Off button at the top, next to where it says Content & Privacy Restrictions to disable the website restrictions, if any.

7. Inspect and Edit the Hosts File on Your Mac

Some extensions or apps tend to edit the hosts file to connect your Mac to the webservers of an app or service directly. And the entries for that contain a domain or sub-domain.

Whether you're using your Mac for local server development or simply blocking the redirects, the hosts file might have some unknown IP address entries.

Cleaning up the unwanted entries from the hosts file can also help Safari and other apps.

To inspect and edit the hosts file, launch Terminal app and type this command:

Once the hosts file opens in Terminal, scroll down using the arrow keys and remove the unwanted entries. Then hit Ctrl + O to add those changes to the hosts file and Ctrl + E to exit the nano editor.

Updating the hosts file might make a few apps and sites run slow momentarily.

8. Install Outstanding Updates for Safari

Running the latest version of Safari on your Mac is a good way to eliminate all the niggles that hinder it from opening pages. An updated browser can often fix many problems, especially when Safari couldn't open a page that demands a specific browser version to work.

Head to App Store > Updates to check for any outstanding updates for Safari and install if there is one. Then go to System Preferences > Software Update to check for macOS updates as well.

You can also reset Safari to default settings to purge all old website data as well as cookies.

The Best Ways for Safari to Open Web Pages

While there's no single reason to point at, these solutions can remove any underlying issue that Safari faces when opening a page or a site. These improvements will make Safari faster after a few seconds once it gathers new cookies and site data.

Whenever Safari hits a roadblock while loading a site, you can use the solutions mentioned above to troubleshoot it. To improve your Safari browsing experience, there are lots of Safari tips and tricks you can use to tweak it to its maximum potential.

• Safari Browser

Mac Problems With Opening Google Docs

While it can be handy to have access to Google Docs when you're working between multiple machines or locations, if you can't access the documents, they're fairly useless. If you're having issues with accessing Google Docs from your Mac computer, the first steps are to try to alter the settings or the conditions in which you access them. If those steps still don't solve the problem, use Google Docs' Help site to troubleshoot issues and report your problem.

Some users have encountered issues when using the native browser, Safari, with Google Docs. The issues include the inability to open documents, and may come with an error message that says that Google Docs cannot find the server. As an initial troubleshooting step, ensure that Javascript is enabled in your browser by selecting the Safari menu, selecting "Preferences" and then ensuring that the Javascript checkbox is ticked.

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Clear Cache and Cookies

According to Google, a possible workaround for this issue is to clear the browser's cache and cookies. If you have Safari, you can do this by selecting the Safari menu and then selecting "Reset Safari." At the next screen, click "Remove all website data." If you're using another browser, resetting your cache and cookies can also be helpful for problems with Google Docs.

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In some cases, plugins that you've added to your browser -- whether Safari, Firefox or another browser -- may be interfering with Google Docs. In this case, you can perform a reset of your browser to get it back to its original configuration, or you can try to disable plugins one-by-one to determine if one of them is causing the issue. If you've recently added any new plugins, try disabling them first and then try Google Docs again. If that doesn't do anything, reset the browser to its original configuration.

Update or Change Browser

If you continue to have issues with Safari and clearing the cache and cookies does not solve the issue, you have a few other options. First, ensure that you are using the latest version of Safari by clicking the Apple menu and then clicking "Software Update." If you see a notification for a Safari update at the next page, follow the prompts to update the browser. If that does not solve your issue with Google Docs, consider downloading and using another browser, such as Google Chrome, Firefox or another browser of your choice.

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Nicole Vulcan has been a journalist since 1997, covering parenting and fitness for The Oregonian, careers for CareerAddict, and travel, gardening and fitness for Black Hills Woman and other publications. Vulcan holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and journalism from the University of Minnesota. She's also a lifelong athlete and is pursuing certification as a personal trainer.

How to Fix the Safari Cannot Open the Page Error in Safari Web Browser

It happens to us all. You're browsing contentedly in Safari, when suddenly Safari can't open the page you're trying to navigate to. So what causes this Apple Safari issue, and what can you do about it? We’ve laid out five easy ways to fix the Safari Cannot Open the Page error. Let's get started.

• Easiest Fix for Safari Not Working on Mac, iPhone, or iPad
• Safari Can’t Open Page? Extensions May Be to Blame
• Safari Can't Find Server Error
• Clear Safari Cache to Fix Safari Won't Load Issues
• How to Fix Safari Cannot Open Page Error If Above Steps Didn’t Work

1. Easiest Fix for Safari Not Working on Mac, iPhone, or iPad

Whenever there are internet issues and Safari can’t open pages or Safari is not working on iPhone , it’s best to try the most straightforward fixes first, such as swiping between tabs to see if the issue persists on all webpages or just one. Start with these steps before you move on to the more involved troubleshooting options. If they don't work, don't worry! There are plenty of other ways to fix the Safari Cannot Open the Page error.

• First, check your Wi-Fi or data connection. Sometimes a loss of connection happens briefly and then resolves on its own, or you may need to reconnect manually.

• If these methods fail, restart your iPhone or other Apple device, then try again.

If the above steps still haven't resolved the Safari Cannot Open the Page error, move on to the next section for further troubleshooting.

2. Safari Can’t Open Page? Extensions May Be to Blame

While extensions are helpful sometimes, they may interrupt the connection to a website you’re trying to load, especially ad blockers or VPN extensions. You can  remove all your Safari extensions  or one or two and try to open pages again. Once you can open pages you’re trying to reach, you can re-enable the extensions using the same steps.

3. Safari Won’t Load? Anyone Can Do This Easy DNS Server Trick

Another common cause for the Safari Cannot Open Page error message is the DNS server, which helps your device connect to web pages correctly. If needed, you can manually change your DNS server in Settings to use Google’s DNS. This can sometimes help with the Safari Cannot Load Page error. Don't worry, it's easier than it sounds! For iPhone or iPad, use the steps below. To change DNS on Mac to Fix Safari issues, skip ahead .

How to Change DNS on iPhone or iPad

Try loading the page again and see if this helps. If not, skip to the next Safari troubleshooting step .

Fix Safari Cannot Open Page Error: Change DNS on Mac

In most cases, this will resolve your Safari Cannot Open Page error. If not, continue on to the next troubleshooting step.

4. Clear Safari Cache to Fix Safari Won't Load Issues

Another way to resolve the Safari cannot open the page error is to clear your Safari cache. Doing this saves valuable storage space and is key to fixing quite a few Apple Safari issues, but it does mean a little bit of extra work signing back into everything you used to be logged into online. Clear the Safari cache on iPhone or iPad and see if it helps. To clear teh cache in Safari on Mac, use the steps below.

Still having trouble with Safari loading? Read on.

5. How to Fix Safari Cannot Open Page Error If Above Steps Didn’t Work

If you're still getting the Safari Cannot Open the Page Error, you may need to use a different web browser, such as Chrome. If the webpage opens with another browser, the issue likely lies with Safari. If it does not open on any browser, it's probably a problem with the site itself, such as a temporary outage.

Hopefully these steps helped you fix Safari browser issues! Know of another trick we didn't cover here? we'd love to hear it in the comments below.

Author Details

Emma Chase is a freelance writer for iPhone Life. She has her Bachelors degree in Communication from the University of Northern Iowa. Emma has worked in many sectors in her professional career, including the higher education, finance, and nonprofit. Emma lives in small-town Iowa with her husband and two children. When she’s not geeking out over the newest Apple product or wrangling her kids, Emma enjoys a good book, crocheting, and trying new foods.

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How to fix Safari not downloading files on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

You may, at times, encounter an issue where Safari refuses to download photos, videos, audio, PDFs, documents, and other files from a website. In this article, we’ll explore common reasons why Safari may not be downloading files on iPhone, iPad, or Mac and provide solutions to help you get back to downloading with ease.

The issues you may be facing

• Clicking the download link opens a new blank tab, and no file download starts.
• Safari is refusing to begin file downloads from one or all sites.
• File download starts, but it fails immediately in a second or two.
• The download happens up to a point and then fails midway or just before completing.
• Safari downloads a file but opens it and then deletes the original files (this happens with ZIP and other compressed files).

The solutions below should help fix all the above issues and also ones similar to them.

Before you begin

It’s possible that you’re not following the right steps to download the file. On Mac, it’s super easy, but on iPhone and iPad, downloading files may not be as obvious. With that said, even if the file has been downloaded, you may not know where it’s saved and how to find it. So, look at these tutorials, if needed:

• How to download videos from Safari on iPhone and iPad
• How to download files and documents to iPhone or iPad
• How to access downloaded files on iPhone and iPad

Retry the download

In many cases, initiating the download again does the trick. Try hitting the download link again, and it should work. If not, refresh the webpage and click the download button again.

Note: Some websites put downloads behind a login wall. So, make sure to honor that.

Pause and resume the download

The download may look like it has started, but it will pause or fail in a few seconds. If that happens, hit the tiny retry button a few times, and it should start the download. If not, hit the download link again on the website.

Check your internet

Make sure your iPhone, iPad, or Mac is connected to a stable Wi-Fi, Cellular Data, or Ethernet connection and the internet is working properly.

Some useful tips

• Turn off VPN if you’re using one.
• Restart your Wi-Fi router.

Troubleshooting internet problems

• How to fix cellular data not working on iPhone or iPad
• What to do when your iPhone or iPad can’t connect to Wi-Fi
• Internet not working on your Mac? Here are 16 solutions to fix it

Allow the website to download files

When you try to download a file from a website for the first time, it doesn’t start immediately. Instead, you will see an alert asking your permission to allow this site to download and save files locally or not. Make sure you allow that. If you choose to block the download, follow these steps to fix it:

On iPhone and iPad: Hit the download link again on the website and tap Allow or Download when asked. If you don’t see the Allow button, clear your browser data.

On Mac: Open Safari and click Safari > Settings from the top menu bar. Now, go to Websites > Downloads > click the drop-down menu next to the website name and choose Allow . While you’re here, also make sure it says ‘ Ask ‘ or ‘ Allow ‘ next to ‘ When visiting other websites .’

Force Quit and reopen Safari

On iPhone and iPad: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold or double-press the Home button to enter App Switcher. From here, drag the Safari app card all the way up to close it .

On Mac: Save your work in any other open Safari tabs. Next, click the Apple icon  and choose Force Quit . Here, select Safari and click Force Quit .

Now reopen Safari and try downloading the file again.

Use alternate download links

You may see more than one download link on a website. If one link fails to work, try the other one. Note: Sometimes, picking a different download quality (for a video, audio, or image) should do the trick.

Set Safari download location to anything other than iCloud Drive

If you have set Safari to download files to iCloud Drive,  switch it to any other local storage folder using the steps below:

On iPhone or iPad: Settings > Safari > Downloads > On My iPhone or Other .

On Mac: Open Safari and click Safari > Settings from the top menu bar. From the General section, select Downloads , Desktop , or any local folder next to ‘ File download location .’

Stop Safari from automatically opening files after download

By default, Safari on Mac is set to open files after downloading them. That means if you download a ZIP file, Safari will automatically unzip it after downloading. In rare cases, this may cause the download to fail, not complete successfully, or not even start in the first place if the file you’re trying to download is incompatible. Therefore, it’s best to turn it off from Safari Settings > General > uncheck ‘ Open “safe” files after downloading .’

Restart your device

If Safari is unable to download files due to minor glitches, save your work and do a restart .

Make sure your device has sufficient free space

New file downloads will only succeed if your iPhone, iPad, or Mac has enough free space. So go to Settings, and check how much free storage you have. If it’s full, use these tutorials to free up space:

• 50+ tips to free space on your iPhone and iPad
• 30+ ways to free storage space on your Mac

Clear Safari history and cache

One of the most reliable solutions to fix Safari issues is clearing its history and website data .

On iPhone and iPad, you can do this from Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data .

On Mac, click History from the top menu bar and select Clear History .

Try disabling a recently installed Safari extension

If you could download files earlier but can’t after installing an extension, then that extension is likely the culprit. Remove it, restart your device, and now you should have no problem downloading files.

On iPhone and iPad: Head over to this guide on installing and removing Safari extensions .

On Mac: Go to Safari Settings > Extensions > select the extension and click Uninstall .

Update Safari

Safari updates are tied to system updates on iPhone and iPad. So, go to Settings app > General > Software Update and get the latest version of the operating system.

On Mac, you can update Safari from System Settings .

Update your Mac

If you’re on an older version of macOS, consider updating to the latest version, which should improve your computer’s overall working and stability.

On macOS Ventura and later, go to System Settings > General > Software Update . And on macOS Monterey and earlier, go to System Preferences > Software Update .

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Can’t upload documents on Safari or Chrome for Mac

I’m having trouble uploading documents onto any internet browser on my Mac. I tried to trouble shoot (reading back that this was a problem in nov 2020) but I can’t even check off boxes in my preferences menu, for safari, chrome, or my Mac system preferences. Drag and drop doesn’t work for me either…beyond frustrated. For reference I am running Big Sur 11.4

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

MacBook Pro

Posted on Jun 28, 2021 8:48 PM

Posted on Jun 30, 2021 5:42 AM

Hello slinksteraims,

Thank you for posting in Apple Support communities. We understand that you are having issues with uploading documents to any internet browser, and also having issues checking boxes in browser preferences. We would love to help you with this. 

This document tells you how to convert pages to other upload able documents. We recommend trying this to see if your able to upload to a browser after conversion: Convert Pages documents to PDF, Microsoft Word, and more

This document has great information about safari preferences: Change Websites preferences in Safari on Mac

You should also use Google Chrome Help to get help with their browser.

Thank you for allowing us to support you.

Have an awesome and productive day!

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Jun 30, 2021 5:42 AM in response to slinksteraims

Jul 2, 2021 10:30 AM in response to slinksteraims

Are you running any anti - virus programs? Using a VPN?

Try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. If Back-to-My Mac is selected in System Preferences, the Guest account will not work. The intent is to see if it is specific to one account or a system wide problem. This account can be deleted later. 

Isolating an issue by using another user account  

If the problem is still there, try booting into the Safe Mode using your normal account.  Disconnect all peripherals except those needed for the test. Shut down the computer and then power it back up after waiting 10 seconds. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear. The boot up is significantly slower than normal. This will reset some caches, forces a directory check, and disables all startup and login items, among other things. When you reboot normally, the initial reboot may be slower than normal. If the system operates normally, there may be 3rd party applications which are causing a problem. Try deleting/disabling the third party applications after a restart by using the application un-installer or by using the developer’s uninstall instructions. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don't do them all at once. 

Safe Mode - About .    

If it works in the Safe Mode, try running this program when booted normally and then copy and paste the output in a reply. The program was created by Etresoft, a frequent contributor.  Please use copy and paste as screen shots can be hard to read. Click “Share Report” button in the toolbar, select “Copy to Clipboard” and then paste into a reply. This will show what is running on your computer. No personal information is shown. If the log won’t post, try posting it in Pastebin and provide a link in a reply. After pasting the report in a PasteBin page, go to the top of the page, and copy the address in the URL bar. Paste that in a new reply.        Pastebin

https://etrecheck.com

Jul 2, 2021 5:51 AM in response to slinksteraims

slinksteraims,

Thanks for getting back to us. If you've followed all suggested articles and your issue still persist you may need to contact Apple Support: Contact Apple Support . They would be able to help you and screen share to get a better look at what is happening when uploading documents.

Jul 1, 2021 7:34 PM in response to chris_g1

unfortunately, nothing worked. thanks anyways

Troubleshoot viewing PDF files on the web

Adobe Acrobat

Solutions to common issues viewing PDFs from a website.

Common issues with viewing PDFs

• A blank page in the web browser
• A red X icon
• A broken-link indicator, such as a red square, a blue triangle, or a blue circle
• Error: "The Adobe Acrobat/Reader that is running cannot be used to view PDF files in a web browser. Adobe Acrobat/Reader version 8 or 9 is required. Please exit and try again."

To solve common PDF-display issues, follow the instructions in the order they appear: Update Reader or Acrobat, fix PDF issues, check browser settings, and repair or reinstall Reader or Acrobat.

Update Reader or Acrobat

Adobe releases free security updates quarterly. Make sure you update your version of Reader or Acrobat to the latest release. The updates often include fixes to common problems. Download the latest free update.

Open Reader or Acrobat.

Choose Help > Check for Updates. 

Acrobat 9 and earlier : If a new update is available it installs automatically.

Acrobat X and XI : Click Update and then click  Install .

Acrobat:  Continue to the next step.

When the Updater dialog box appears, click Download .

After download is complete, click the Acrobat install icon. In the Acrobat Updater window, click Install .

After installation is complete, restart your computer, and test the PDF again to see if you can view it.

PDF solutions

Refresh or reload the page.

Often, just refreshing the page in your browser allows the PDF to load fully.

Try to view a different PDF

Try viewing a different PDF. For example, see if this  sample form  displays in your browser. If Acrobat or Reader can open the sample form, then the other PDF could be damaged or the web server could be having problems. If possible, contact the individual or company who manages the website.

Try to view a PDF on your hard drive

Determine if your web browser can open a PDF from your local hard drive rather than from the web. For this test, you need a PDF saved on your computer.

In your web browser, do one of the following:

• Mac OS: Choose File > Open (or Open File).
• Windows: Press Control+O.

Click Browse .

(Windows only) From the Files Of Type menu, choose All Files .

Locate a PDF on your computer, select it, and then click Open .

If the PDF opens, the website you were viewing could have a problem. Contact the individual or company who manages the website.

Browser and browser-settings solutions

Use a different web browser.

Certain conditions on your computer, such as security settings or browser cookies, can prevent you from viewing a PDF. Often, the fastest solution is to try to open the page using a different browser. Try any of the following browsers that you have not already tried:

For a list of compatible browsers for Reader and Acrobat, see  Compatible web browsers .

Switch to Compatibility View (Internet Explorer)

Some websites display better in the Compatibility View of Internet Explorer. The Compatibility View displays a page as if it were in an earlier version of the browser.

For instructions on how to switch to this view, see   Fix site display problems with Compatibility View.

Restart your computer and try opening the PDF again

Restart your computer, then open the web page again. Restarting clears the computer memory and memory cache. Simply restarting your computer frequently resolves display issues.

Delete temporary Internet files (Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome)

Clear the browser cache (sometimes called temporary Internet files ) to ensure that you're viewing a fresh version of the page. 

Be careful when selecting the options. Clear only the browser cache. If you clear all temporary Internet files, you could delete the cookies that contain login information and preferences. Most browsers let you choose the type of content you want to delete.

For instructions on clearing the browser cache, refer to these articles: 

Firefox: Delete browsing, search, and download history

Chrome:  Delete your cache, history, and other browser data

Internet Explorer 8 through 11 : Viewing and deleting your browser history

Internet Explorer 7 :  Delete web page history

Reset the Display PDF In Browser preference (Acrobat/Reader X or earlier)

Try resetting the display preference in your browser to clear up the viewing issue.

In Reader or Acrobat, right-click the document window, and choose  Page Display Preferences .

From the list at left, select Internet .

Deselect Display PDF in browser , and then click OK .

Try to open the PDF again from the website.

View PDF in 32-bit version of Internet Explorer or Safari (Windows Vista only)

This procedure applies only to Windows Vista users with Internet Explorer 9 or earlier.

Acrobat and Reader are 32-bit applications on Windows. If you try to open a PDF in a 64-bit version of Internet Explorer, the PDF opens in stand-alone Acrobat or Reader, not in Internet Explorer.

Only Reader 10.1 or Acrobat 10.1 and later support Internet Explorer 9.

To make sure you're using a 32-bit version of Internet Explorer, follow these steps:

In Internet Explorer, choose Help > About Internet Explorer. (In some versions of Internet Explorer, select the question mark in the upper-right corner to select About Internet Explorer.)

If you see "64-bit Edition" next to the version, then go on to step 2.

To switch to the 32-bit Internet Explorer, first exit 64-bit Internet Explorer. Then double-click the program icon for the 32-bit version:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

Reader and Acrobat solutions

Repair reader or acrobat.

Reader or Acrobat could be damaged. Repairing the installation is a quick troubleshooting safeguard.

Repair from within Reader or Acrobat

Choose Help > Repair Installation.

Repair using Control Panel (Windows)

You can also repair your Acrobat or Reader installation using the Windows Control Panel.

Close Reader or Acrobat.

Click Start > Control Panel.

Do one of the following in Control Panel, depending on your version of Windows:

• (Windows 8/7/Vista)  Click Programs , and then click Programs and Features .
• (Windows XP)  Double-click Add or Remove Programs .

In the list of programs, select Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat .

Click Change and follow the instructions to repair the application.

When the process is complete, click Finish .

Advanced solutions

If none of the solutions in the previous sections solve the issue with viewing PDFs, you can try the following advanced steps.

Enable the Adobe PDF browser add-on (Internet Explorer 8 and later)

Make sure that the Adobe PDF browser add-on is enabled.

Open Internet Explorer and choose Tools > Manage Add-ons.

Under Add-on Types, select Toolbars and Extensions .

In the Show menu, choose  All add-ons .

In the list of add-ons, select Adobe PDF Reader .

If you don't see the Adobe PDF Reader add-on, try the other options on the menu. For example, on some systems, the add-on appears when you select Run Without Permission.

Click the Enable button.

If the button says Disable, then the add-on is already enabled. This button toggles between Enable and Disable, depending on the status of the selected add-on.

Enable  sets the Adobe PDF Reader add-on to open PDFs in the browser.

Disable  turns off the add-on so it does not open PDFs in the browser.

Enable the Adobe PDF browser add-on (Firefox)

Make sure that the Adobe PDF browser add-on (nppdf32.dll) is enabled.

In the Firefox address bar, type  about:plugins

Scroll down to a section named Adobe Acrobat.

Make sure that File reads "nppdf32.dll" and "Adobe Acrobat Plug-In for Netscape." If this entry is not available,  install the latest version of Reader or Acrobat .

Run Acrobat or Reader in a new local administrator account

Create a user account that has the same permissions as the account you use when the problem occurs. Or create a local administrator account. If the problem doesn't recur when you log on to the new account, then the original user account could be damaged.

For information on setting up a user account, refer to the following resources or contact your network administrator:

Windows XP:  To add a user to the computer

Windows Vista/7/8:  Create a user account

Mac OS X: Set up users on your Mac

Optimize large PDF files

If the PDF file is 4 MB or larger, ask the provider to optimize the PDF file. For information about optimizing PDF files, see  Optimizing PDFs .

Check the registry path for Acrobat or Reader (Windows)

Disclaimer:  The registry contains system-related information that is critical to your computer and applications. Before modifying the registry, be sure to make a backup copy of it. Adobe doesn't provide a resolution to problems that arise from improperly modifying the registry. Adobe strongly recommends that you gain experience editing system files before you modify the registry. For more information about the registry, see the  Windows documentation  or contact  Microsoft .

Go to Start > Run.

Type  regedit  and click OK.

Browse to the key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Software\Adobe\Acrobat\Exe.

Make sure that the (Default) value is set for the path where Acrobat or Reader is installed.

• The default path for Reader is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\Reader\AcroRd32.exe".
• The default path for Acrobat is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe".

If Acrobat or Reader isn't installed in the default path, make sure that the key's (Default) value points to the actual location.

For a video demonstration of the procedure, see Check the correct registry path .

If the above registry item doesn't exist on the system, do the following:

Back up your current Registry file:

• In the Registry Editor dialog box, choose File > Export.
• Type a name for the file and choose the location.
• For Export Range, choose All .
• Click Save .

Go to Edit > New > Key and create the missing HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Software\Adobe\Acrobat\Exe.

Go to Edit > New > String Value and name this key (Default) .

Select (Default), and then go to Edit > Modify. Type the default path (listed above) in the "Value data" for your product.

Restart your computer.

Repair the HKCR\AcroExch.Document registry key (Windows)

It is possible that this key is damaged, is pointing to an obsolete version of Acrobat or Reader, or is pointing to a third-party PDF viewer.

Disclaimer:  The registry contains system-related information that is critical to your computer and applications. Before modifying the registry, be sure to make a backup copy of it. Adobe doesn't resolve problems that can arise from improperly modifying the registry. Adobe strongly recommends that you gain experience editing system files before you modify the registry. For more information about the registry, see the  Windows documentation  or contact  Microsoft .

Choose Start > Run, type  regedit  in the Open text field of the Run dialog box, and then click OK .

Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AcroExch.Document.

Right-click AcroExch.Document and choose Delete ; make sure that you have the correct key, and click Yes on any prompts.

Right-click AcroExch.Document.7 and choose Delete ; make sure that you have the correct key, and click Yes on any prompts.

Repair your Acrobat or Reader installation .

This video demonstrates the steps.

Change the content-type header on the web server (Web administrators)

If you are a webmaster or have administrative rights to a website, configure the web server to send content-type headers of 'application/pdf' for PDF files. For instructions, see the documentation that came with the web server, or see this Microsoft support article .

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If you can't load a website or webpage, or Safari quits unexpectedly, follow these steps.

Connect to a different network

Try to load a website, like www.apple.com , using cellular data. If you don't have cellular data, connect to a different Wi-Fi network , then load the website.

If you're using a VPN (Virtual Private Network), check your VPN settings . If you have a VPN turned on, some apps or websites might block content from loading.

Restart your device

Turn off your device and turn it on again:

Restart your iPhone

Restart your iPad

Restart your iPod touch

Clear website data

You can clear website data occasionally to improve Safari performance:

Go to Settings > Apps > Safari.

Tap Clear History and Website Data.

Tap Clear History to confirm.

Turn on JavaScript

Turn on JavaScript if it's not already on:

Go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced.

Turn on JavaScript.

Get more help

If the issue continues and only affects a certain website or webpage, check if you have Private Relay turned on. You can temporarily turn off Private Relay in iCloud Settings . If Safari still doesn't load websites and you tried all of these steps, contact the website developer for more help.

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