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On Windows, run Invoke-Item -LiteralPath 'C:pathtofile.pdf' to open a PDF with the application associated with PDF files on that computer. For example: Invoke-Item -LiteralPath 'C:UsersAvaDocumentsreport.pdf'. If you prefer, Start-Process -FilePath 'C:UsersAvaDocumentsreport.pdf' is another way to start the associated application.
Open a PDF with its default application
Use Invoke-Item when you want PowerShell to perform the file’s default action. On Windows, that opens a document in the application associated with its file type. The command asks Windows to handle the PDF; it does not name or launch a particular PDF reader.
- Replace the example path with the location and name of your PDF.
- Keep the path in single quotes, especially if it contains spaces.
- Run the command in PowerShell:
Invoke-Item -LiteralPath 'C:UsersAvaDocumentsquarterly report.pdf'
Microsoft describes Invoke-Item as performing the default action for an item. Its Windows shell guidance explains that a document opens in the application associated with that document’s file type (Microsoft Learn: Running commands in the shell).
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Why use -LiteralPath?
-LiteralPath tells the command to use the path as written instead of treating wildcard characters as patterns. It is a good choice when you mean one exact filename. The quotes keep a path with spaces together as one argument; for example, 'C:UsersAvaDocumentsquarterly report.pdf'.
Use Start-Process as an alternative
You can also ask PowerShell to start the program associated with a non-executable document file:
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Start-Process -FilePath 'C:UsersAvaDocumentsreport.pdf'
Microsoft documents that Start-Process starts the associated program for a non-executable file. For opening one PDF with the default application, either command is suitable. Use Invoke-Item for the direct “perform the default action” form; use Start-Process if you prefer the process cmdlet.
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What determines which PDF reader opens?
Both commands rely on the computer’s file association for PDFs. They do not install a reader or select a brand. If PDFs are associated with a browser or another reader, that is the application Windows uses for the default action. If no usable PDF application is associated, these commands do not provide enough information to choose one for you.
That distinction matters when a command succeeds but opens the “wrong” application: the command is following the current association rather than making an independent choice of reader. To use a specific application, first make that application the default for PDFs in Windows; the exact settings interface can vary by Windows version, so consult the Windows instructions for the version on your computer.
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Choose the command that fits
| Task | Command | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Open one exact PDF using its default action | Invoke-Item -LiteralPath 'C:pathtofile.pdf' |
Performs the item’s default action; on Windows, an associated application opens the document. |
| Start the associated program for the PDF | Start-Process -FilePath 'C:pathtofile.pdf' |
Starts the associated program for a non-executable file. |
Neither example specifies a particular reader. Replace the sample path with a real path to a PDF on your computer.
Troubleshoot a PDF that does not open as expected
PowerShell cannot find the file
Check that the drive, folders, filename, and .pdf extension match the actual file path. If the name contains spaces, keep the entire path inside quotes. For a specific file, use -LiteralPath with Invoke-Item so wildcard characters in the path are not treated as patterns.
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The PDF opens in an unexpected application
The command is using the PDF file association on that Windows computer. Change the default application for PDF files in Windows if you want a different reader, then run the command again.
No application opens the PDF
These commands depend on a usable application being associated with PDFs. They do not install a PDF reader or include a reader-selection option in the examples. Set up an appropriate PDF application and its file association in Windows, or consult your administrator if the computer is managed.
You are using a different PowerShell host or operating system
This method is grounded in Windows shell behavior: Microsoft describes Invoke-Item as performing the default action on Windows and documents the associated-application behavior for documents. Do not assume that the same graphical opening behavior applies in every PowerShell host or operating system.
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ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API, not a way to open a PDF stored on your computer. If the separate task is to capture a webpage, one GET request can return a screenshot or PDF. The call below saves a WebP screenshot of a URL; use your API key in place of YOUR_API_KEY. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for options.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webp
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ScreenshotNeo removes cookie banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; bot checks, blank pages, and failed loads are never billed. It also offers an MCP server for AI agents to take screenshots, and its free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. See ScreenshotNeo for details, or sign up for the free plan.
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