When i download a pdf file, the Edge web browser automatically prints its contents on the screen. There seems to be no way to just write the file on disk. I have always to read it first. I manage, within Setting>System to change the associated application with each file type. But there's no way to disassociate to any application, I mean to make it to be no associated to any app. Can this be so. There should be a way to tell the system at least to ask what to do with the file I am about to download.

For example, in archive dot org, the internet archive, suppose I want to download some book in pdf format. If I left click the mouse then it is shown on the screen so I can read it, without asking me anything. So I right click. But then the pop up menu only has these options:
Open in new tab
Open in new window
Copy link
Inspect element

And Copy link does nothing. Besides it is not the link that should be copied but the link target?

When it is on the screen, can you not save it to a file from the menu?

MS takes over pdf handling and always just opens them in the browser. Changing file associations will have no effect on this.

As with most MS products, you'll need to dip into the windows registry hive to turn this behaviour off. Searching the web will reveal how to do this.

I assume there's some obstacle preventing you from installing another browser?

(I can see how having to open every file and save out as a new file would be somewhat bothersome)

Maybe switch to Firefox? I know it can do what you want.

The PDF reader used by Edge, the widows 10 browser has only a few icons (no menu) and none of the will let you save the file to disk.

Yes!!! I think I saw a menu with firefox on it in windows 10.

Let us know what works. I think all you have to do in Firefox is right-click the link and select download link.

With Edge you can also right click on the link and save as well as the PDF document if it is being viewed.

The Edge PDF viewer also has a menu similar to the Firefox viewer but its default is to automatically hide. You can access it by left clicking on the PDF document. From the menu you can print or save the document etc.