Adobe Acrobat Reader is the official tool for reading, commenting and collaborating on PDF documents. The main reason to download Adobe Acrobat Reader is that it makes the most use of Adobe’s cloud features, being the optimal choice for most users.

Functionality

First of all, this app is meant for reading PDF files, the default for cross-platform documents. The app opens most documents, even some corrupted files. With it you can open any PDF document, read it, add comments and bookmarks, both with keyboard or with your finger or a stylus.

There is also a special tool for filling in the forms that are often distributed as PDF files. You can scan forms with the free tool named Adobe Scan and then fill them in Acrobat Reader. The form you have filled may be printed from the app (like any other PDF document).

While reading the document, you can search for a certain text, zoom it in and out, or automatically adjust to the size of the screen. Texts or pictures can be copied and correctly pasted into other apps.
Adobe also offers rich cloud features, including sharing files, collaborative work on them, commenting on bookmarked spots or replying to the comments. When somebody comments your file, replies to the comment, highlights or bookmarks something in it, you can get notified right from the app.

There are also paid options that require a subscription. For example, subscribers can edit PDF documents, convert them to Microsoft Office files, combine multiple PDF to a single document, or make PDF’s out of images and texts.

Usability

Acrobat can open both local files and those from cloud storage, including services like Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, OneDrive, and (for iOS) iCloud. On modern devices, it takes seconds to process even large files. Online authentication is required anyway. If you don’t have an Adobe account, you can create it with just your email, but most users may do it with a Facebook or Google account.

Navigating within the document is eased with a lift that appears at the right edge after a tap. You can just scroll it up and down or navigate straight to the page you need. When you change the orientation, the document gets reflowed and rearranged, so its new layout is optimal for the current mode.

There are separate iPhone and iPad versions, while Android app detects screen size automatically and rearranges its layout. Different iOS versions even offer different types of subscription! Of course, reading magazines or A4 documents is much better on tablets, yet formatting and reflowing makes them quite readable on phones as well.

Sometimes updates take users by surprise, offering new file list view or new interface features they cannot figure out at once. Yet it takes just some minutes of digging to get how it works now.