iPhone will automatically open PDF files when you use Safari, Chrome, or the Mail app. You can save the PDF files to the iBook app so they can be reviewed at any time. PDF files can be downloaded from websites, saved from email attachments, and synced from a computer via iTunes.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Using Safari
Step 1. Touch the link to open the PDF file
PDF files are opened by default through the Safari browser. Once the link is touched, the file will be displayed in a browser window.
Step 2. Pinch the screen to zoom in or out of the file
When you open a PDF file in Safari, you can pinch the screen just like you would on a website page. Drag two fingers away from each other to zoom in on the file, or bring them together to zoom out.
Step 3. Press and hold the page to mark the text
If you want to copy text from a file, press and hold the desired text on the screen. Release your finger when the magnifying glass is displayed, then drag the marker to select the text.
Since PDF files can be created in a variety of ways, you may have trouble marking up text (or not being able to mark text at all)
Step 4. Send the PDF file to iBooks
You can add the PDF file under review to the iBooks app (or any other PDF reader). This way, you can access your PDF files at any time, even when your device is not connected to the internet.
- Touch the PDF file that is currently open in Safari.
- Touch the "Open in iBooks" button that appears. If you have another PDF reader installed, tap the " Open in… " button and select the desired application.
- Open the PDF file in iBooks or a PDF reader application. If you open it in an iBook, the file will be saved in the app and in your iCloud storage space so you can always access it.
Method 2 of 4: Previewing PDF File Attachments E-mail
Step 1. Open the email with the attached PDF file
Display the message so you can see the attachment link at the bottom of the screen.
Step 2. Touch the PDF attachment to view it
The PDF file will be opened in the Mail app's built-in PDF viewer.
Step 3. Pinch the screen to zoom in or out of the document
You can pinch the screen to zoom out the page, or slide two fingers away from each other to zoom in.
Step 4. Press and hold the text to mark it
Release your finger when the magnifying glass lens is displayed. You can adjust the selection by dragging the markers at each end of the selection area.
If the existing PDF file is a page scan, you may not be able to mark up the text
Step 5. Save the PDF file to the iBooks app for quick access
While you can still find PDF attachments if the email is saved, it will be easier for you to find them if the attachment is saved to the iBooks app. After that, you can also delete the email if you want.
- Touch the screen while viewing a PDF file to display the interface of the viewer application.
- Tap the “Share” button in the lower left corner of the screen.
- Select "Copy to iBooks" on the top row of options. You may need to swipe the screen to find it.
- Review PDF files through iBooks whenever you want. Once added to your iBooks library, the PDF file will be stored on your iPhone and iCloud library. You can read them, even when the device is not connected to the internet.
Method 3 of 4: Moving PDF Files from Computer
Step 1. Open iTunes
The easiest way to add PDF files to your iPhone is to sync them through iTunes. If it's not available, you can download iTunes for free from apple.com/itunes/download.
Step 2. Open the "Books" section of the iTunes library
Once iTunes opens, click the "…" button at the top of the window. Select "Books" from the menu. The iTunes book library will appear.
Step 3. Click the "My PDFs" tab
This tab is available when you open the “Books” section of iTunes. All PDF files that are already stored in your iTunes library will be displayed.
Step 4. Drag the PDF file you want to add from your computer to the iTunes window
Click and drag the PDF file, and drop it into the iTunes window to add it to the iTunes “Books” library.
Step 5. Connect iPhone to computer via USB cable
iPhone will appear in the top row of buttons after a while. If this is your first time connecting your iPhone to your computer, you'll need to go through a short initial setup process that won't affect the data on your phone.
Step 6. Mark the PDF files you want to copy to iPhone in the “My PDFs” section
Select all the PDF files you want to copy in the " My PDFs " section of the iTunes “Books” library. You can press Ctrl/⌘ Cmd+A to highlight all content, or hold down Ctrl/⌘ Cmd while clicking each file you want to select.
Step 7. Drag the selected files
You can see a sidebar on the left side of the iTunes window.
Step 8. Drop the dragged files onto the iTunes icon on the left frame or sidebar
The file will immediately be copied to the iPhone storage space. You can see the copy progress at the top of the iTunes window.
Step 9. Disconnect the iPhone after the PDF file is copied
Once it's finished copying to your phone's storage space, click the iPhone button at the top of the screen and select "Eject". After that, you can safely disconnect your iPhone from your computer.
Step 10. Locate the copied PDF file in the iBooks app on your iPhone
Once copied, you can find all the PDF files through the iBooks app.
Method 4 of 4: Using iBooks
Step 1. Launch iBooks after the device is updated to iOS 9.3 or later
iOS 9.3 introduced the sync feature of e-books and PDF files to iCloud storage. This way, you can access all your PDF files from any device that's connected to the same iCloud account.
Step 2. Enable the “iCloud for iBooks” feature (optional)
You can turn on iCloud sync on iBooks if you want to sync PDF files. These files will eat up the available iCloud storage space. All iCloud accounts come with 5 GB of free storage space, which is also used to store iCloud backup data.
You don't have to turn on iCloud if you want to use iBooks. You can still access all PDF files stored in iBooks on your device, including PDF files synced through iTunes
Step 3. Add PDF files to iBooks
You can load PDF files using the methods described earlier. You can download files from websites, send them as email attachments, and sync them from your computer. All PDF files added to your iPhone will appear in the iBooks app.
If you enable iCloud on iBooks, PDF files added to iBooks can also be available and accessed via other devices (as long as they are connected to the same iCloud account)
Step 4. Touch the PDF file in the iBooks library
When the iBooks app loads, you can see its entire library. If you only want to view saved PDF files, tap the " All Books " button at the top of the screen and select " PDFs ". After that, the content will be filtered and only PDF files will be displayed.
Step 5. Swipe the screen left or right to switch pages
While reviewing PDF files in iBooks, you can swipe the screen to move to the next page of the same document.
Touch the PDF file you're reading to open the user interface, then you can preview all the pages at the bottom of the screen. Touch the desired page on the preview bar to open it directly
Step 6. Touch the “Bookmark” button to add a bookmark on the currently displayed page
Select a PDF file to display the interface, then touch the “Bookmark” button to bookmark the current page. You can see the bookmarks when you open the full preview of the document.
Step 7. Touch the “Table of Contents” button to view all pages
It's next to the share button (“Share”), at the top of the screen. Once touched, a preview of all the pages (in the small version) will be displayed on the screen. Bookmarked pages have a small bookmark icon in the corner.
Step 8. Press and hold the text to mark it
Release your finger once the magnifying glass lens is displayed on the screen. After that, you can drag the markers on either end of the selection area to adjust the text you want to highlight.
If the PDF file was created from a scan, you might have a hard time marking up the text (or not at all)
Step 9. Download the PDF file stored in the iCloud account
If you turn on iCloud on your iBooks, some PDF files may be stored in iCloud storage, but haven't yet been downloaded to your iPhone. These files are indicated by the iCloud icon at the end when you view them in your iBooks library. Touch the icon to download the PDF file to iPhone.
