[izzytcp]

It’s very different. Can I open a PDF from Windows into Windows Sandbox with 2 clicks and close with 1 after reading, nearly instantaneously, without noticing the virtualization? Nope. Windows Sandbox is just a fresh VM, almost useless.

[jmprspret]

You can do exactly that. Setup a .wsb file that mounts your downloads folder to the VM desktop and disable network.

Open the .wsb (1 click) then open the PDF (1 or 2 clicks). When you're finished close the windows sandbox window and it'll all be gone.

[tssva]

Using a zero install PDF viewer, the wsb login command and a few lines script file one could also have the PDF automatically open in the Windows sandbox with a double click or using "Open with" from the context menu.

[jmprspret]

You could piggyback off MS Edge in the sandbox to open the PDF. Provided you don't need any advanced features, and just want to read it.

But yes that is a great idea.

[tssva]

I was more thinking of running a portable pdf viewer such as Foxit Reader Portable from a folder mounted read only in the sandbox.

[philliphaydon]

If you're on Windows, and you want to download something, install it, see what its all about.

Windows Sandbox starts in like 8 seconds to be usable and is trashed when you close it.

So its far from useless.

But for your usecase, yes it wont work.