Troubleshooting Pdf Files Not Opening In Browser With Sharepoint 2010

Identifying the Root Cause

When PDF files do not open directly in the browser from a SharePoint 2010 library, the root cause can often be traced back to either browser configuration issues, problems with SharePoint settings, or corrupt PDF files. The first troubleshooting steps focus on properly diagnosing the underlying reason why the PDFs fail to render.

Checking browser and Adobe Reader configurations

Many problems with rendering PDF files in SharePoint can result from incorrect browser settings or issues with the Adobe Reader browser plug-in. Carefully inspect both the browser and Adobe Reader to ensure the programs have the proper capabilities enabled:

Verify the browser has the correct Adobe PDF plug-in enabled and set as the default handler
Confirm Adobe Reader has browser integration features activated to allow in-browser viewing
Check that ActiveX controls are enabled in Internet Explorer for proper plug-in functionality

Verifying PDF associations and mappings

In addition to browser and plug-in settings, SharePoint’s configuration can prevent PDFs from opening properly. Examine the SharePoint library settings to ensure correct file type associations:

Navigate to the document library settings page and validate the mapped file type for .pdf extensions
Confirm that the PDF content type has an associated browser file handler – should map to Adobe Reader by default
Check that PDFs have the appropriate rendering templates mapped for browser views

Testing file openings on client machines

Attempt to open the non-functioning PDFs directly on both the server and client machines using Adobe Reader to rule out general file corruption issues:

Download copies of the failing PDFs from the SharePoint library to test machines
Try opening the copies in Adobe Reader instead of the browser PDF plug-in
Verify that the files open properly outside of the browsers with no errors

Fixing Browser Issues

If the PDF files open correctly on the client machines outside of the browsers, investigate browser configuration problems preventing proper embedded viewing through SharePoint.

Enabling browser plug-ins for PDF viewing

The first browser issues to troubleshoot relate to disabling of the Adobe PDF browser plug-in. Restore full plug-in functionality:

In Chrome or Firefox, revert any settings that disable the Adobe PDF Viewer plug-in
In Internet Explorer, confirm the Adobe PDF Viewer ActiveX plug-in is allowed and enabled
Consider resetting all plug-in permissions to defaults if uncertain of policies

Configuring browser to use Adobe Reader plug-in

Alternatively, the browser may fail to properly invoke the Adobe Reader plug-in automatically for PDF viewing:

Associate .pdf files with the Adobe Acrobat NPAPI/ActiveX plug-in or helper app
If prompts exist, always select to open PDFs using the Reader browser add-on
Remove any alternate PDF viewer applications mapped in the browser

Allowing ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer

For older versions of Internet Explorer, ActiveX controls permissions may need explicit configuration:

In IE security settings, enable all ActiveX controls and plug-ins
Add the SharePoint domain to the trusted sites zone to allow ActiveX without prompts
As last resort, set IE to allow ActiveX globally without restrictions

Fixing SharePoint Configuration Issues

With the local PDF viewers working properly, next investigate whether SharePoint libraries have correct file handlers configured for rendering PDFs to browser.

Setting PDF open behavior in SharePoint libraries

SharePoint’s PDF association can override browser settings. Update library defaults appropriately:

In Library Settings, enable opening documents in the browser for PDF files
Under Advanced Settings, add *.pdf to trusted file types for browser viewing
Allow the *.pdf extension to use permissive MIME type mapping

Mapping PDF file types to Adobe Reader

Libraries also rely on proper file type to application associations – verify PDF handler:

In SharePoint Central Admin, check PDF file type mapping to Adobe’s OCX or DLL
Consider explicitly mapping PDF globally at farm level if issues persist
Alternate handlers like Foxit Reader Online for SharePoint may also resolve

Configuring PDF renditions and conversions

Finally, validate that PDF transformation settings don’t conflict with direct browser viewing:

Disable the Office PDF Document Converter Handler if enabled
In Library Settings, transform PDFs on upload should be unchecked
Consider deleting any Normal, Quick Repurpose, or PDF Renditions

Testing and Verification

After addressing configuration issues in both the browsers and SharePoint libraries, rigorously test fixes across different client environments.

Opening PDFs using different client environments

Leverage multiple combinations of browser, office suite, and OS to validate PDF behavior:

Test in Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari on client machines
Cover environments like Windows 7, Mac OS X, iOS, Android if possible
Check default configurations as well as hardened security settings

Validating browser and SharePoint configurations

Confirm remediations persisted across browser restarts and server farms:

Check browser PDF handler mappings after restarting
Verify SharePoint library settings stuck across IIS resets
Browse from multiple site collections, alternate content databases

Monitoring browser console for errors

Inspect technical error logs for residual issues:

Open developer tools console to monitor network requests, JS errors
Examine Windows Application Logs for fault indications
Review IIS logs through SharePoint ULS logs for anomalies

Additional Troubleshooting Steps

Special situations may require further investigation for problematic PDFs evading remediation.

Checking for corrupt PDF files

Bad PDF files can fail in an intermittent manner not caught in earlier tests:

Re-download and re-upload corrupted PDFs to purge cache
Open questionable PDFs with Adobe Reader using Preflight analysis
Inspect PDF headers hex visually for errors using TextPad

Verifying user permissions on libraries/items

Improper access restrictions can also selectively block access:

Have afflicted user re-attempt after re-granting permissions
Compare user rights with a working account in same group
Rule out custom permission inheritance stopping propagation

Contacting Microsoft Support if issue persists

Log a service request if problems withstand previous efforts:

Gather correlation IDs, event logs, ULS logs for delegates
Be prepared to pilot suggestions like IIS resets, database detach/attach
Raise urgency if business impact reaches critical levels