Universal File Opener From $0.83/mo · Free plan 8.7 Visit Evince
apps.gnome.org
What it is
Evince is a free document viewer for Linux desktop users. It opens PDF, PostScript, DjVu, DVI, XPS, OXPS, and Comic Book Archive files, and can display supported documents as full-screen presentations. Interactive forms can be completed, including text fields and scrollable list boxes. For PDFs, Evince can add notes and text highlights; these annotations are limited to PDF files. SyncTeX synchronizes a TeX source file with its resulting PDF. Printing is documented for DVI, DjVu, PDF, PostScript, and TIFF. When opening a password-protected PDF, Evince prompts for its password. It is not a file editor. Some Linux distributions may need the relevant backend package to support every listed format. The project wiki recommends obtaining Evince through the user's Linux distribution and points to packages or source for other download options. The help site includes user documentation and directions for reporting application bugs.
Spec sheet
- Purpose
- Evince is a document viewer for multiple formats, intended to replace multiple GNOME desktop viewers with one simple application.Read 4 Oct 2026 · wiki.gnome.org
- Free plan
- YesRead 24 Sep 2026 · apps.gnome.org
- Support
- The Evince help site explains how to file a bug against the application.Read 3 Oct 2026 · help.gnome.org
- Annotation limit
- Annotations can only be added to PDF files.Read 4 Oct 2026 · teams.pages.gitlab.gnome.org
- Annotation tools
- YesRead 24 Sep 2026 · apps.gnome.org
- Annotations
- Users can add notes and comments to PDF documents, including text annotations and highlights.Read 4 Oct 2026 · teams.pages.gitlab.gnome.org
- Current GNOME listing
- The GNOME apps directory currently lists Papers as its document viewer and links to its Flathub download, issue tracker, and translation page.Read 4 Oct 2026 · apps.gnome.org
- Document editing
- Evince cannot be used to edit files.Read 4 Oct 2026 · teams.pages.gitlab.gnome.org
- Form filling
- YesRead 24 Sep 2026 · apps.gnome.org
- Format availability
- Some Linux distributions may not support every listed format by default; the relevant backend package may need to be installed.Read 3 Oct 2026 · help.gnome.org
- Formats
- Supported formats include PDF, PostScript, DjVu, DVI, XPS, OXPS, and Comic Book Archive.Read 3 Oct 2026 · help.gnome.org
- Forms
- Evince can be used to fill out interactive forms.Read 3 Oct 2026 · help.gnome.org
- Getting the app
- The project wiki recommends obtaining Evince from the user's Linux distribution and points to packages or source for other download options.Read 4 Oct 2026 · wiki.gnome.org
- Help and support
- The help site provides user documentation and directs users to file bugs against Evince to report problems.Read 4 Oct 2026 · teams.pages.gitlab.gnome.org
- Interactive forms
- Evince supports filling out interactive forms, including text fields and scrollable list boxes.Read 4 Oct 2026 · teams.pages.gitlab.gnome.org
- Limit
- Evince cannot be used to edit files.Read 3 Oct 2026 · help.gnome.org
- Linux format caveat
- Some Linux distributions may not support every listed format by default because the required backend package may be missing.Read 4 Oct 2026 · teams.pages.gitlab.gnome.org
- OCR support
- noneRead 24 Sep 2026 · apps.gnome.org
- Offline access
- YesRead 24 Sep 2026 · apps.gnome.org
- Password-protected PDFs
- When opening a password-protected PDF, Evince prompts the user to enter its password.Read 4 Oct 2026 · teams.pages.gitlab.gnome.org
- Platform support
- desktopRead 24 Sep 2026 · apps.gnome.org
- Presentations
- Evince can display supported documents as full-screen presentations.Read 3 Oct 2026 · help.gnome.org
- Printing
- Printing is documented for DVI, DjVu, PDF, PostScript, and TIFF files.Read 4 Oct 2026 · teams.pages.gitlab.gnome.org
- Supported formats
- The help lists PDF, PostScript, DVI, DjVu, XPS/OXPS, and Comic Book Archive formats as supported.Read 4 Oct 2026 · teams.pages.gitlab.gnome.org
- SyncTeX
- The help documents SyncTeX support for synchronizing Evince with a TeX editor such as gedit.Read 4 Oct 2026 · wiki.gnome.org
Plans and prices
Evince Free Free software Read 4 Oct 2026 · apps.gnome.org
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- Supports PDF, PostScript, DjVu, and other formats.
- Fills interactive forms.
- Adds notes and highlights to PDFs.
- Supports SyncTeX.
- Can show supported documents full-screen.
Limits
- Cannot edit files.
- Annotations are limited to PDFs.
- Some distributions may need extra backend packages.
Who it suits
Evince suits Linux desktop users who need to view supported document formats, fill interactive forms, or annotate PDFs. It is not for users who need to edit document contents.
Verdict
Evince covers viewing, form filling, PDF annotation, and presentation display across several document formats. Check your distribution's backend support if you need formats beyond PDF.
Where Specifiction places it
- File Viewer Software#3 of 318.6
- PDF Readers#4 of 248.6
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