How To Open PDF Files In Chromium Browser On Arch Linux And Its Derivatives

Chromium is an open-source browser project that aims to build a safer, faster, and more stable way for all Internet users to experience the web. By default Chromium is not packaged with an in browser plugin/ability of viewing PDF files. Hence when a PDF file’s link is clicked it automatically triggers its download. This is not so with its proprietor counterpart Google Chrome. There other browser plugins that can bring this functionality to Chromium but in this tutorial am going to use libpdf, the PDF Viewer from Google used in Chrome and have been open sourced. And my distro is Manjaro. Install This plugin is available from AUR, to install open terminal and run:

sudo yaourt -S chromium-libpdf

Follow the instruction by Y or N to install. Launch Chromim browser or restart if already running. Check to see if plugin is installed, by visiting the address below:

chrome://plugins/

You see the PDF viewer plugin.

chrome-pdf-viewer

Now you can open PDF files / links in your chromium browser.

Chromium-open-PDF Enjoy.