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Editing PDF Documents with Local Programs


System Requirements: System Requirements for Local PDF Programs


Connecting a PDF app to buildagil

To enable PDF documents to be edited directly in a local PDF app, the app must first be connected to buildagil.



Open a PDF document in buildagil and select the "Edit in PDF app" option. You will then be prompted to install a utility that establishes a connection between your local PDF app and buildagil. The available options are “Adobe Acrobat,” “PDF-XChange,” “Foxit,” “Power PDF,” and “Bluebeam.” After making your selection, click “Install” to start the download. The following article describes how to install the utility: Installing the buildagil Opener.


Alternatively, you can set OneDrive as the PDF editor. In this case, the program stored on the device as the default program for PDF files will be used automatically. This also allows you to use PDF programs that do not appear in buildagil’s selection list. For more information on changing or setting a default program for the ".pdf" file type, see the following article: Opening Folders & Documents in a Local Program.


On macOS, you can only open files via OneDrive. On Windows, all programs are available. If your PDF app does not appear in the list, you can open documents via OneDrive instead.


With the new version of Adobe Acrobat, you can no longer open documents directly. As an alternative, you can open documents via OneDrive.



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Changing or Disabling the Local PDF Program

If you want to use a different PDF program or disable the connection to a local PDF program, you can adjust this setting directly when opening a PDF document. After opening a PDF document, you can select the "Change Settings" option from the corresponding message at the bottom of the screen.



A pop-up window will then appear, allowing you to select a different program. Clicking "Open PDF" will open the document directly in the selected program and save your selection.



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Opening PDF Documents with the Local PDF App

After installing the utility, PDF documents can be opened directly with the linked local PDF app. Selecting the "Edit in PDF App" option opens the PDF document in the selected local PDF app.


PDF documents cannot be edited locally by multiple people at the same time. If you try to edit a document that has already been borrowed or checked out, an error message will appear stating that the document cannot be saved.




After selecting "Edit in PDF app," a window will appear asking you to confirm that you want to open the document. If you check the box, this message will not appear again the next time.



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Editing with a local PDF program

Depending on the PDF program you're using, some procedures for editing may vary. These are described program-specific in the following articles:


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Troubleshooting


If the troubleshooting steps below do not resolve the issue, please feel free to contact Support.



Troubleshooting When the PDF Program Is Missing

If the following error message appears: "No program was found to open the PDF document," the selected PDF program is not installed on the device. You can resolve this error by installing the program or switching to a different program.



If PDF-XChange is selected in the settings and the program is installed correctly, but the error message "No program was found to open the PDF document" still appears, the installed version of buildagil Opener is not compatible with the version of PDF-XChange.



This can be resolved by installing the new version of the buildagil Opener. The download link can be found in the following article: Installing the buildagil Opener.


Troubleshooting When Deleting Files or Completing Scan Tasks

If files or folders cannot be deleted or verification tasks cannot be completed, this may be due to PDF files that are still checked out. In this case, the files are locked and cannot be deleted or edited. A checked-out PDF file must be checked back in by the person who checked it out. You can determine whether a document is checked out by opening it; a corresponding message will appear.


If the data subject is unable to check out the file, please contact Support.



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Updated on: 27/08/2026