Windows 10: Empty PDF in Microsoft Edge

Try creating a new user for test purposes. If you see the same problem then, you know it's a common Windows issue. If not, you might be able to identify some difference in settings.

 

This is a common problem in Edge. I have mostly issues with PDF read directly from online sites. If I first download the PDF and then open it in Edge it usually solves my problem, but not always.

Reading Offline PDF files using Adobe Reader has never had any issues for me but for online files I sometimes see just blank pages or the Cover Page only.

 

Not even Win update 15063.608 solved it *Sad
I hope Win10 FCU will do...

How is PDF implemented in Edge? Is there a registered DLL or what? Wanted to try resetting that if possible...

 

Installed Windows 1709. Problem NOT solved.
This is now a problem *Rolleyes

 

Beyond trying
Reinstall and Re-register Microsoft Edge in Windows 10 Browsers Email Tutorials
- if it's a continual annoyance, use something other than Edge. Not ideal, but sometimes you have to give up on MS features- as I gave up on using MS email clients after Outlook Express -> Winmail -> none.

 

Can someone kindly provide all default Registry entries related to Edge? Even after reinstall as explained here and after upgrade to Windows 10 1709 I still have this problem with PDF files, so I'm quite sure there is something broken in my registry I need to fix... *Sad

 

Unfortunately also that tutorial didn't solve the issue... Must be something broken in the Registry related to fonts maybe, or who knows how are PDF registered to work with Edge...? *Sad

 

Edge has changed in the FCU as you know, in particular in respect of its handling of pdfs.

How to use Microsoft Edge as a PDF reader in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update | Windows Central
What's new with Microsoft Edge in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update | Windows Central
What’s New in Microsoft Edge in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update - Microsoft Edge Dev BlogMicrosoft Edge Dev Blog

- so it wouldn't be surprising to find some additional anomalies....

https://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUA...user_guide.pdf
opens ok in the Creator's build (pre-fall/autumn) for me.


Have you tried creating a new user for test purposes?

 

Have you tried a clean install - an upgrade does not repair broken registries.

 

I can use Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade Installation Upgrade Tutorials (method 6 with Media Creation Tool) to do an in-place upgrade to repair my Windows 10 1709, since it's written this won't affect installed apps etc. *Think

I hoped the new 1709 could fix it since it included a new Edge + PDF system, but unfortunately...
Even if I discover it's ok on another account on the same machine how can this help me to fix my registry? I know also some tools to compare registry changes... but it's quite hard when you have no clue where the bug is (PDF? Edge? Fonts?)... *Sad

I even tried the new feature of 1709 to Repair and Reset Edge, without success (this probably means it's not even an Edge problem but some other parts of the registry got corrupt):

 

Have you tried creating a new user for test purposes?

 

As above: Even if I discover it's ok on another account on the same machine how can this help me to fix my registry? I know also some tools to compare registry changes... but it's quite hard when you have no clue where the bug is (PDF? Edge? Fonts?)...

Have no idea what happened, I'm a savvy user who don't even use CCleaner or 3rd party dangerous registry tools to avoid any problem, nor I ever installed bad antiviruses (Defender + Malwarebytes Pro are more than enough + UAC at max level) or other garbage. SFC /scannow says everything is ok. The only explanation is that the registry got corrupt because of some BSODS I've had in the past due to bad drivers (solved).

 

Ok, here's the argument....

1. If it works in another account, you know Windows per se isn't 'broken'. It's a profile or settings problem
2. If it works in another account, you could compare settings with the account where it doesn't work.
3. If it doesn't work in another account either, then you know it's a Windows issue.
4. Also consider differences in what's running / installed in the two user accounts.

I believe universal apps don't use the registry... I assume that's true of Edge..

On another track: see
Why do PDF files show blank when using Edge - Microsoft Community
PDF file opens with Microsoft edge but opens as... |Adobe Community
Microsoft Edge Discover Why PDF File Not Opening In Edge

...read down quite a way

 

By its symptoms it's 3 for sure....

5 mins later
Ok, just added a new local user account for testing, and Edge had the same issue retrieving f.e. that ipad PDF guide *Sad

Thanks for the other hints but of course I already tried everything:
- reset and reinstall Edge using also the tutorial on Tenforums
- re-assigned default apps for PDFs multiple times
(never installed Adobe Reader either)

I even tried with Russinovich's Process Monitor trying to understand what happens when Edge displays the blank pdf but wasn't able to spot where's the error. Sigh... I'll probably backup C: partition and reinstall Windows from scratch but that's really annoying for such a minor yet annoying issue. Need an expert on how Edge+PDF works in detail to hopefully find a non-destructive solution... I bet it's just a pair of key in the registry that got corrupt somewhere but have really no idea what to look for. Tried hard in all these months but the mystery goes on....
The funny thing is that the first time I got this issue it auto-fixed itself probably thanks to an Edge monthly update, but this time not even the 1709 upgrade fixed it.
I can still open PDFs with Microsoft Reader app anyway so it's just an annoyance and I could live with it for some other months. *Mad

 

You are right: just tried a repair install and nothing changed *cry
My only chance at this point is 1) clean install 2) still wait hoping some new updates will finally touch and repair those corrupt keys