4 Ways to View & Download PDF Documents on an iPhone

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Easily get your iPhone to open and read PDFs with this in-depth guide
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When using Safari, Chrome, or the Mail app, your iPhone will automatically open PDF files for easy viewing. You can choose to save PDFs to your device, or you can sync it to the Apple Books app for offline viewing. If you download a PDF to your iPhone, you can easily find it in the "Downloads" folder of the Files app. You can also read the documents aloud by adjusting your Accessibility settings. This wikiHow will show you how to open, read, and download PDF files using an iPhone.

Things You Should Know

  • In Safari, tap a PDF link. Pinch the screen to zoom in and out, or long-press text, highlight it, and copy it.
  • Tap the "Share" icon and select the Apple Books app or "Save to Files".
  • Find downloaded PDFs in the Files app → "Browse" → "On My iPhone" → "Downloads".
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Using Safari

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  1. You can also use the Google Chrome app to open PDF files.
  2. PDF files open natively in the Safari app. Tapping a link to a PDF file will display the PDF file in the browser.
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  3. You can pinch the screen to zoom in and out.
    • To copy text, long-press the text, and then drag the two circles to select the text. Tap Copy , and then paste it in another app.
  4. You can add the PDF file you're viewing to your Apple Books app (or other PDF reader). This will allow you to access the PDF at any time, even without a network connection.
    • Tap the Share button at the bottom of the page. This looks like the rectangle with an up-arrow.
    • Tap the Books app.
      • If you don't see the app, scroll to the far right of the listed apps and tap More . Tap Books from the Apps list.
    • Open Apple Books to view your PDF.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Opening Email Attachments

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  1. Open the message so that you can see the attachment link at the bottom of the screen.
    • You can use the iOS Mail app, the Gmail app, or another mail app.
  2. This will open the PDF in the Mail app's PDF viewer.
  3. You can pinch the screen to zoom in and out.
    • To copy text, long-press the text, and then drag the two circles to select the text. Tap Copy , and then paste it in another app.
    • If the PDF file was created by scanning a page , you may not be able to highlight text.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Downloading PDFs

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  1. Tapping a link to a PDF will open it in the browser. [1]
    • Use this method to download and save PDF files to your iPhone.
  2. This will be at the bottom of the page.
    • A pop-up menu will open.
  3. You can choose to select a location, but it will default to the Downloads folder.
    • If you have iCloud synced to your device, you can choose to save there instead.
  4. This will be in the top-right corner.
    • The file will be saved to your device.
  5. Open the Files app . This looks like a blue file with a white background. You can find this in your App Library .
  6. This will be in the bottom-right corner.
    • You should see a list of Locations .
    • If you don't see it, tap Browse again to turn to the correct page.
  7. This will be next to a phone icon.
  8. This should be the first folder. It will have an icon of a down-arrow in a circle.
  9. You'll see a list of downloaded files . To open your PDF, tap it.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Enabling Spoken Content

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  1. This looks like a grey cog icon.
    • Use this method if you want your iPhone to read PDFs aloud.
  2. This will be towards the middle of the page, underneath Home Screen .
  3. You can find this below Motion .
  4. This will enable you to select which text you want spoken aloud.
    • If you want to read the entire document without selecting it, toggle on Speak Screen .
      • A speech controller will appear on the side of your screen.
  5. Open a link, file, or use the Apple Books app.
  6. You may need to tap the arrow to find the option.
    • If you don't see the Speak option, you may need to save it to your iPhone first. Then, open the PDF from the Files app.
    • If you selected Speak Screen , tap the speech controller and tap the Play icon. Tap the Pause icon to stop.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I convert a PDF into a Word document?
    WikiPDF
    Community Answer
    I convert PDF into Word and PPT and other formats by using an app called PDFelement. You can open the PDF file and then select tie Convert function. The work will be done!
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 2
  • Question
    When the PDF is saved, either in iBooks or email, can it be viewed offline later?
    Community Answer
    When a PDF is sent to yourself via email, it can be viewed offline as long as the document is downloaded to your device.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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  • Question
    How do I read a PDF on my Android?
    Community Answer
    There are several apps on the Play Store that can read PDF files. Adobe Acrobat Reader is probably the most common go-to, as it is also the most common program for the job on other platforms. However, you aren't stuck using it. Just search for PDF Reader on the Play Store and see what you like.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205751

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