PDF viewer for WordPress: what a good one does, and how to set it up

Most WordPress sites show PDFs in one of two ways: a link that downloads the file, or the browser’s own PDF viewer squeezed into the page. Neither works well on phones, neither looks like the rest of the site, and neither tells you whether anyone read the document. A PDF viewer plugin fixes all three. Here is what a good one should do, and how to set one up.

If you are still deciding between a viewer and simpler options such as the File block or a Google Drive embed, start with how to embed a PDF in WordPress, which compares all four.

What a good PDF viewer does

Works on every phone. Most mobile browsers will not show a PDF inside a page, so a viewer has to draw the pages itself. On a narrow screen it should show one page at a time and let readers swipe or scroll.

Opens fast. The viewer should load the PDF in pieces and show the first page while the rest is still arriving, rather than waiting for the whole file. A viewer further down the page should load nothing until someone opens it.

Keeps the text. Selectable text and full-text search are what make a PDF better than a picture of one. Links inside the PDF should stay clickable, and the PDF’s bookmarks should become a table of contents.

Zooms sharply. Pages should be redrawn at a higher resolution as readers zoom in, so small print, maps and drawings stay readable.

Lets you decide about downloads. Keep the download and print buttons for documents people should save, remove them for documents that should stay on the site.

Looks like your site. Toolbar position, colors and background should be yours to set, not the browser’s.

Stays on your server. The PDF should be served from your own site, not uploaded to a third-party service.

Reports what gets read. Opens, page views and link clicks in Google Analytics tell you which documents and pages matter.

Scroll viewer or page flip?

The same PDF can be shown in two quite different ways.

A scroll viewer stacks the pages in one column, like a PDF reader. Nobody has to learn how to use it, and long documents are easy to skim. It suits reports, manuals, white papers, menus and price lists.

A page-flip viewer shows spreads and turns pages like a printed book. It suits catalogs, magazines and brochures, where the layout across two pages is part of the design.

Here is a 16-page brochure in the scroll viewer:

And the same brochure as a book with turning pages. Click the cover:

Real3D Flipbook has both, plus a swipe view for phones and a simple view without animation, and each flipbook can use a different view on phones. See which flipbook view mode to use for the full comparison.

Setting it up

1. Install the plugin and go to Real3D Flipbook → Add new.
2. Choose the PDF from the media library, or paste its address.
3. On the General tab, set View mode to scroll for a classic viewer, or keep the realistic 3D page flip. The live preview shows the result.
4. On the Toolbar tab, pick a toolbar style and switch off any buttons you don’t want, such as download or print.
5. Publish, copy the shortcode and paste it into a page, or use the Real3D Flipbook block.

Our guide to turning a PDF into a flipbook on WordPress shows each step with screenshots.

To show the viewer in a popup instead of in the page, use lightbox mode: the page shows a cover, a link or your own button, and the viewer opens over the page when clicked. The guide to inline, lightbox and fullscreen embeds has the shortcodes.

Keeping a PDF on your site

A viewer can make copying harder, not impossible: anything shown on a screen can be captured. What you can do:

• Hide the download and print buttons.
• Keep the original file private. The PDF Tools addon converts the PDF into page images on your server, after which the original can be deleted. Readers get the pages, not the file, and search and links keep working.
• Show only part of it. The Preview Mode addon shows the first pages to visitors and the whole document to logged-in members. Our guide to selling or protecting a flipbook covers the setups.

Questions about PDF viewers in WordPress

Does a PDF viewer work on iPhone and Android?

Yes. A viewer plugin draws the pages itself, so it does not depend on the phone’s browser being able to show PDFs. On narrow screens it shows one page at a time.

Will a PDF viewer slow down my site?

A viewer only loads the PDF when it is shown, and in pieces. Put viewers further down the page in lightbox mode and they load nothing until opened. Our loading speed checklist covers large files.

Can I show several PDFs on one page?

Yes. Use lightbox mode so each opens from its own cover, or put the covers on a shelf; see building a digital library.

Can readers search inside the PDF?

Yes, as long as the PDF has real text rather than scanned images. The viewer searches every page and highlights the matches.

Does it support right-to-left PDFs?

Yes. A right-to-left setting reverses the reading direction, page numbers and navigation for Arabic, Hebrew and similar documents. See right-to-left flipbooks.

Comparing plugins? Our guide to the best flipbook plugins for WordPress puts prices and features side by side.