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Install Foxit PDF Reader

System Requirements

Recommended Minimum Hardware

Install Foxit PDF Reader

Foxit PDF Reader is available in the Mac App Store and Foxit official website. To install Foxit PDF Reader from the Mac App Store, please follow the instructions in App Store User Guide. To install Foxit PDF Reader that is downloaded from Foxit official website, please double-click the package, and then follow the step-by-step instructions in the Installation Wizard. 

Uninstall Foxit PDF Reader

Choose one of the following options to uninstall Foxit PDF Reader:

Update Foxit PDF Reader

For the edition downloaded from the Mac App Store, please check and install updates in the Mac App Store.

For the edition downloaded from Foxit official website, please update it by one of the following methods:

Workspace

Foxit has integrated the collective commands in the ribbon interface and created a new way of working, namely Ribbon Mode. In this mode, commands are arranged by groups and tasks. While reading a PDF file, you can control-click the document name in the application’s title bar to navigate the filesystem trees.

Set the Skin

Foxit PDF Reader provides three options (Light, Dark, and Use system setting) that allow you to customize the look (skin) of the software. To change the skin, choose File in the Ribbon > Skins, and then select the desired option from the Select Mode drop-down list. If you choose Use system setting, the skin automatically switches to the Light or Dark mode according to the Appearance setting in your macOS system. When you are in the Light Mode, you can check Colorful in the Select Light Mode Theme group to specify the theme color for your application.

Customize the Toolbar

The Ribbon is designed to help you find the commands in an easy and convenient way. Foxit PDF Reader gives you the capability to personalize and fine-tune the Ribbon in the way you want. With this feature, you can customize Quick Access Toolbar and the default Ribbon, and create custom tabs or groups with your favorite commands.

Customize Quick Access Toolbar

Quick Access Toolbar displays all your bookmarked commands. You can add commands that will let you view and search content easily to your Quick Access Toolbar. This is another way for you to arrange and manage all the commands.

Add Commands to Quick Access Toolbar

To return toolbars to default configuration, repeat the steps above to open the Quick Access Toolbar tab in the Customize Tools dialog box, choose Reset or press Option + S, and click OK to apply the setting.

Tips: You can also right-click a command on the ribbon and choose Add to Quick Access Toolbar to add the command to Quick Access Toolbar.

Show Quick Access Toolbar below/above the Ribbon

To show Quick Access Toolbar below/above the ribbon area, do any of the following:

Customize the Ribbon

To customize the Ribbon, you can right click the Ribbon, choose Customize the Ribbon from the context menu to bring out the Customize Tools dialog box first, and then follow the steps below.

Create a New Tab

To create a new tab, please do one of the following:

Add a New Group to a Tab

To add a new group to a tab, please do one of the following:

Rename a Tab or Group

Add Commands to a Group

Remove a Tab, Group or Command

To remove a tab, group or command, please do one of the following:

Reorder the Tabs or Groups

To reorder the tabs or groups, please do one of the following:

Reset the Ribbon

Import a Customized Ribbon

Note: After importing a Ribbon customization file, you will lose all the arrangements you have customized previously. If you want to revert to the customization you currently have, it is easier to export the customized Ribbon before importing any customization.

Export a customized Ribbon

Notes:

1. After customization, you need to click OK in the Customize Ribbon tab to save and apply your customizations to the Ribbon.

2. To help you distinguish a default tab or group from the customized ones, the custom tabs or groups in the Customize the Ribbon list are tabbed with “(Custom)” after the name (like this: ), but the word “(Custom)” will not appear on the Ribbon.

3. The commands in the default group under a default tab are displayed in grey, and they cannot be renamed, reordered, or removed.

4. You cannot remove default tabs in Foxit PDF Reader.

Search and Find Commands

The Search field on the title bar (sits at the top of the window) enables you to search commands or text based on the keywords you specified. To quickly find a command, click in the Search field (or press Control + Q), and input the command name. Then from the drop-down menu, you can select the command from the Actions group to activate the desired feature. You can also find the commands that you have searched and used recently from the Recently Used group in the drop-down menu to re-activate the corresponding features with ease.

Foxit Plug-in Platform

For flexible and convenient management of plugins, Foxit PDF Reader offers a Plug-in Platform, in which you can view the plug-in status, learn the information about the plugins installed, as well as manage the plug-ins as needed.

To open Foxit Plug-in Platform, please choose Help in the Ribbon > Foxit Plug-Ins.

Plug-in Status

Plug-in Information

To learn the details of a plug-in, please click More under the general description of the plug-in in the About Foxit Plug-Ins window.

Plug-in Management

Within Foxit Plug-in Platform, you can manage the plug-ins as needed, including installing, enabling, disabling and uninstalling plug-ins.

Install a Plug-in

Foxit PDF Reader allows you to install a plug-in in FZIP format. You can also install one or more plug-ins by using an XML file. An XML file defines the information about plug-ins to be installed, and should be used together with .dylib files.

Tip: If you install plug-ins by using an XML file, please place the .xml file and .dylib files in the same folder to avoid an installation failure.

Disable a Plug-in

To disable a plug-in, please follow the steps below:

Enable a plug-in

To enable a plug-in, please follow the steps below:

Uninstall a custom plug-in

To uninstall a custom plug-in (not built by Foxit), please follow the steps below:

Notes:

Support Center (Available in Certain Language Builds)

Foxit PDF Reader offers an AI-powered customer support tool called Support Center, which acts as an AI chatbot and can provide personalized assistance based on your specific needs. Utilizing natural language processing and machine learning algorithms, the AI chatbot can understand user queries and respond with answers. It can assist you in using a specific function or performing certain tasks by providing step-by-step instructions based on Foxit resources, such as Foxit Knowledge Base. (Tip: The AI chatbot is enabled by default. If you want to disable the feature, choose File in the Ribbon (or Foxit PDF Reader in the menu bar) > Preferences > General > Application Startup, check Disable Support Center under Application Startup, and restart the application.)

To access AI chatbot, choose Support Center in the Help Ribbon, or click  on the lower right corner of the application window. Then, you can input your questions and interact with the AI chatbot in the Support Center panel displayed on the right side of the application window.

In addition, you can also click the  icon at the top of the Support Center panel and select Submit Ticket to send your bug reports/suggestions/comments.