Microsoft and Adobe have announced a change that will enable Edge users to view PDF documents using Adobe’s engine. They have promised that this update will bring a unique experience with improved performance, accurate colors, stronger security, and better accessibility. The basic PDF viewing and editing features will remain free, but users will have the option to use an Acrobat subscription for advanced functionality.

Originally planned for March 2023, the migration to Adobe PDF technology in Edge has been delayed to mid-Summer, likely 2024. However, the current Microsoft Edge PDF engine will continue to be included until at least early 2025. During the transition, the new PDF Viewer experiment can be enabled in the settings, allowing Microsoft Edge to load PDF files using Adobe’s PDF engine.

A “powered by Adobe Acrobat” label will indicate this change in the lower right corner, and it cannot be removed from the editing toolbar. Additionally, managed devices may need to switch to the new PDF engine manually. It is worth noting that Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat support XFA-based PDF forms, and the migration to Adobe PDF technology will initially apply only to home user devices.

Furthermore, Microsoft has not provided an explanation for the postponement of the migration.