How to make Revu your default PDF viewer

This article applies to:

  • Revu 20
  • Revu 2019

Jump to other versions:

Windows 11

Follow the steps below to set Revu as the default PDF viewer. Note that this process requires administrator rights on the computer.

  1. Open Revu.
  2. Go to Revu > Preferences (Ctrl+K).
  3. Select Admin from the left-hand menu.
  4. Under Default PDF viewer, select Open Default Programs.
  5. When the Default Apps window displays, select Bluebeam Revu under Set defaults for applications.
  6. Select the program currently assigned to .pdf and then select Revu.

Setting Revu as the default viewer also enables Bluebeam as the previewer used by Outlook and Windows Explorer.

Windows 10, 8.1, and 7 SP1

Follow the steps below to set the Revu as the default PDF viewer. This process requires administrator rights on the computer.

  1. Open Revu.
  2. Click Revu > Preferences (Ctrl+K).
  3. Select Admin from the left-hand menu.
  4. Click Open Default Programs.
  5. When the Default Apps window displays, complete these additional steps:
    1. Scroll down and select Choose default apps by file type.
    2. Scroll through the list until you reach .pdf, then click on the plus icon or the program associated with .pdf.
    3. Select Bluebeam Revu from the list of programs.
Setting Revu as the default viewer also enables Bluebeam as the previewer used by Outlook and Windows Explorer.

To automatically launch Bluebeam when opening PDFs from the web, see Open a browser PDF directly in Revu.

Other versions of this article

Revu 2018

In Windows 10

Setting the default PDF viewer requires administrator rights on the computer.

The following is the typical method for changing the default PDF viewer:

  1. Press the Windows key.
  2. Type choose a default app for each type of file, then press Enter when the result with the same name is highlighted.
  3. Scroll down to .pdf (the file types are listed alphabetically).
  4. Click on the plus or the application listed next to .pdf, then select Bluebeam Revu.

If the above method doesn’t work, you can try the following steps:

  1. In a File Explorer window, right-click on a PDF.
  2. Click Open with > Choose another app.
  3. Select Bluebeam Revu in the list of apps.
  4. Check the Always use this app to open .pdf files check box and click OK.

If you are still having trouble, your IT department may be restricting your access to this setting.


In Windows 8.1

Setting the default PDF viewer requires administrator rights on the computer.
  1. Open the Bluebeam Administrator.
    1. Open Revu, then click Revu > Administrator .

      – Or –

      Click Start, type Bluebeam Administrator, then click the most current version in the Search results.

  2. Click the Revu tab in the Administrator.
  3. Fill the Use as Default PDF Viewer check box.
    1. If you are using side-by-side installation, select the Revu version you want to be the default in the dropdown next to the check box.
  4. Click OK.
  5. If the Please confirm Revu as the default PDF viewer… window displays, complete these additional steps:
    1. Click OK. The Set Default Programs window will display.
    2. Select Bluebeam Revu in the list of programs on the left.
    3. Click Set this as the default.
    4. Click OK and close the Default Programs window.
Setting Revu as the default viewer in the Administrator also enables Bluebeam as the previewer used by Outlook and Windows Explorer.

In Windows 7 SP1

Setting the default PDF viewer requires administrator rights on the computer.
  1. Open the Bluebeam Administrator:
    1. Open Revu, then click Revu > Administrator .

      – Or –

      Click Start , type Bluebeam Administrator, then click the most current version in the Programs list.

  2. Click the Revu tab.
  3. Fill the Use as default PDF viewer check box, then click OK.
    1. If you are using side-by-side installation, select the Revu version you want to be the default in the dropdown next to the check box.
Setting Revu as the default viewer in the Administrator also makes Bluebeam the previewer used by Outlook and Windows Explorer.

To automatically open PDFs from the web in Revu, see Open a browser PDF directly in Revu.  

Revu 2017 and older 

In Windows 10

Setting the default PDF viewer requires administrator rights on the computer.
  • Open the Bluebeam Administrator.

Open Revu and click Help > Administrator.

– Or –

Click or press Start , type Bluebeam Administrator and press Enter.

  • Click the Revu tab in the Administrator.
  • Check the Use as default PDF viewer check box and click OK.
  • After changing the default viewer in the Administrator, you also have to select the default app in an Explorer window.
    • Right-click on a PDF on the Desktop or another folder.
    • Click Open with > Choose another app.
      default viewer-win10-01-open-with
    • Select Bluebeam Revu in the list of apps.
    • Check the Always use this app to open .pdf files check box and click OK.
      default-viewer-win10-02-always
Setting Revu as the default viewer in the Administrator also enables Bluebeam as the previewer used by Outlook and Windows Explorer.

In Windows 8.1

Setting the default PDF viewer requires administrator rights on the computer.
  • Open the Bluebeam Administrator.

Open Revu and click Help > Administrator

– Or –

Click or press Start , type Bluebeam Administrator and press Enter.

  • Click the Revu tab in the Administrator.
  • Check the Use as default PDF viewer check box and click OK. The icon for PDF files might change to a white page with a green arrow.
    choice icon
  • Double-click on any PDF file and a choice dialog will display.
    choice dialog
  • Click Bluebeam Revu in the list. The PDF will open in Revu and the icons for PDF files will change to the Revu icon.
Setting Revu as the default viewer in the Administrator also enables Bluebeam as the previewer used by Outlook and Windows Explorer.

In Windows 7

Setting the default PDF viewer requires administrator rights on the computer.
  • Open the Bluebeam Administrator:

Click Start > All Programs > Bluebeam Software > Bluebeam Administrator

-Or-

Open Revu and click Help > Administrator.

  • Click the Revu tab.
  • Check the Use as default PDF viewer check box and click OK.

The icons for PDF files will change and PDF files will now open in Revu when you double-click on them.

Setting Revu as the default viewer in the Administrator also enables Bluebeam as the previewer used by Outlook and Windows Explorer.

How-To

Revu 20

Revu 2019

Revu 2018

Revu 2017 & Below

Preferences

Learn how to make Bluebeam Revu your default PDF viewer to quickly start editing files.

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