Microsoft has worked hard to improve the PDF experience for Edge users. Not too long ago, the software announced that Microsoft Edge’s PDF reader would get a two-page layout. Microsoft Edge Canary now offers a new “page view” option for opening PDF documents in a two-page view on a PC (via Reddit).
While Microsoft Edge has supported PDF documents for a long time, it only offered a limited set of features that forced users to look for alternative apps. Currently, it is only possible to view one page at a time and users must scroll down to return the pages.
With this new feature, the company wants to ensure that PDF files can be viewed without the need to use online services or third-party applications. Currently, the option is disabled by default in Canary Edge. Insiders who want to test the feature can follow the steps below to activate it.
- Open Microsoft Edge Canary (version Build 88.0.688.0 or later).
- Type edge: // flags / # edge-pdf-two-page-view in the address bar.
- Now use the drop-down menu to activate the “Enable two-page view for PDF” flag.
- Finally, restart Microsoft Edge to apply the change.
Once activated, open a PDF document in your browser, navigate to the toolbar, and click the “Page View” icon. You should now see an option to switch between single page and dual page layouts. There is also another option to display the cover page separately (depending on user preferences).
As you probably know, the two-page layout experience is nothing new, as the legacy version of Edge supported this capability. Plus, it’s already available in other Chromium-based browsers, including Google Chrome. The latest addition should be useful for Microsoft Edge users who often need to use PDF editing tools in the new Edge browser. Do you think you can benefit from this feature? Sound off in the comments below.