PDFs are extremely useful and convenient for sharing or saving documents. They keep the quality or the resolution intact so your documents never lose quality and look as you want them to. PDF Drive is an online platform that lets you search and download millions of PDF files available on the platform. Thousands of users use PDF Drive daily. The best thing about PDF Drive is that it’s free and has the most up-to-date PDFs available.
Unfortunately, PDF Drive can stop working or responding just like any other platform or website. This is extremely daunting when trying to find something important through PDF Drive. Thankfully, such issues can be resolved easily as they are faced by users almost daily. If you are one of those users facing this issue, you are in the right place. This article will help you understand and fix this issue quickly. Let’s begin.
Why is my PDF Drive Not Working?
PDF Drive is a website; just like any other website, it can have issues. Some of these issues may cause it to stop working altogether. If you are wondering why this happens and what exactly these issues are, here is a list of them:
- Server issues
- Unstable internet connection
- Issues with your IP Address
- Corrupted PDF file
- DNS issues
- Browser issues
Fix: PDF Drive Not Working
We can begin with the fixes now that you know what’s causing the issue. You should try several fixes, starting with the basic ones and then moving on to the advanced ones. You can even wait and try the same solutions, again and again to see if that helps. Here are the solutions to fix the PDF Drive, not working issue:
Fix 1: Check your Internet Connection
The first step is to check your internet connection. If you don’t have a good internet connection, you won’t be able to use PDF Drive normally. PDF Drive is a great site to explore PDFs, but it can be daunting when you can’t use it because of your internet connection. To check your internet connection, follow these steps:
- Make sure your device is in range of your router. Try moving your device or router to make them close enough.
- If that doesn’t help, restart your router. Simply unplug your router and plug it back in. This will reset your router and hopefully fix your internet connection.
- Make sure there are no obstructions around your router.
- Contact your ISP to make sure the internet connection isn’t down.
Fix 2: Check Server Issue
PDF Drive is a popular website, which can sometimes lead to heavy traffic resulting in server issues. Server issues can be due to heavy load or even when the server is under maintenance. If this is the case, you can only wait for some time and try again. You can also check the server status on a website like Downdetector.com.
Fix 3: Refresh the Page
If the servers are fine, try refreshing the page. Refreshing the page will often resolve minor issues with the website. You can use any of these methods:
- Press F5 on your keyboard.
- Press Ctrl/Command + R on your keyboard.
- Click on the refresh page icon.
Once you refresh the page, PDF Drive should start working as expected.
Fix 4: Restart your Browser
You can also try restarting your browser and see if that fixes the issue. Restarting your browser will fix any minor bugs and glitches that might be causing the PDF Drive to stop working. To restart your browser, simply close it and then reopen it. Once you reopen, go to the PDF Drive webpage again and see if it works now.
Fix 5: Try a Different PDF File
If you are unable to download a PDF file on PDF Drive, you need to determine whether the issue is with that particular PDF file or the website itself.
- Firstly, try downloading the PDF file you want to download.
- If that fails, try downloading another PDF file.
- If this PDF file is downloaded, then the issue was with the other PDF file. If not, the issue is with the website itself. Try the steps below.
Fix 6: Clear Cache & Cookies
If none of the above solutions worked, then you can try clearing the cache and cookies on your browser. To speed up page loads, browsers save data from visited websites in a temporary storage area called the cache. PDF Drive will stop functioning if the data it relies on becomes faulty or outdated.
Cookies are text files that websites save to your computer to store information like your login credentials. In some cases, deleting cookies will fix problems involving saved data. Here’s how to clear your cache and cookies:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Del (on Windows) or Command + Shift + Del (on Mac) to open the Settings to delete the cache and cookies.
- Choose “Cached images and files” or another equivalent option.
- Select “Cookies and other site data”.
- The last step is to select “Clear data.”
Note: The exact steps may differ from one browser to the other.
Fix 7: Update your Browser
Outdated browsers can also cause issues with PDF Drive, and it may stop working. To fix this, you need to keep your browser up to date. Make sure to regularly check for updates on your browser and install them right away.
You can check for updates on your browser from Settings. Once you have installed any available updates, simply restart your browser. After you have restarted your browser, go to the PDF Drive webpage and see if the issue has been resolved.
Fix 8: Use a Different Browser
If the issue persists, try using a different browser altogether. If you are using Google Chrome or Safari, you can try using PDF Drive on a different browser, such as Brave, Edge, Tor, or Firefox.
Fix 9: Flush DNS
Flushing DNS, often known as clearing the DNS cache, is a troubleshooting and connection-speeding technique. DNS cache issues might occur if the cached IP addresses of frequently accessed websites are out of current or corrupted. Follow these steps to flush your DNS cache:
On Windows:
- Open the Command Prompt. Press the Windows key + R, then type “cmd” (without the quotes) and hit Enter.
- Just type in this command and press Enter: flushdns / ipconfig
- When the command is finished processing, a confirmation that the DNS cache has been flushed will be displayed.
On Mac:
- Press Command + Space.
- Search for the terminal and open it.
- In the terminal window, type in this command and hit Enter: mDNSResponder: sudo killall -HUP; dscacheutil -flushcache
- The request to enter the administrator’s password will show up. After entering your password, press the Enter key again.
- You can try again to check if PDF Driver is now working.
Fix 10: Try Using a VPN or Different Network Connection
If PDF Drive still isn’t working, that means there is an issue with your IP address. Try using a different internet connection or a VPN to bypass this issue. You can also try using PDF Drive on a different device altogether.
Final Words
We hope that you were able to fix the PDF Driver issue and now you are able to use it. Make sure you regularly clear the cache on your browser and be connected to a stable internet connection. If you are still facing any issues, try using PDF Drive on a new device and see if it works. Anyway, that’s all from us. We hope you found this guide useful. If yes, leave a comment down below to let us know.