So, you want to display PDF files in a nice professional way on your WordPress site?
It is quite easy.
There are a lot of reasons you might want to, such as…
So, let’s do this the simple way…
Displaying PDFs Without Using A Plug-in
The much better way to do this is by using a plug-in (see below). However, if you wanted to do it without using a plug-in, let’s explore that first.
You can upload PDF files to your WordPress Media Library just like you do an image. It is literally no different.
Then, if you insert that PDF on your page just like you normally would for an image, it will work. That said, it will look just like an image. And if you click on it, it will open up the PDF file directly.
It works, but it isn’t very user-friendly. And it won’t be obvious to a lot of people that it is actually a document.
If you use the block editor, there’s a file block available where you can easily insert a link to a file (including your PDF). Again, not very user-friendly, but it will get people to your PDF.
Clearly, WordPress is pretty limited by itself. But, plugins solve most problems and this isn’t any different.
Plugins For Embedding PDF Files
There are a few plug-ins out there for embedding PDF files:
Do some looking around and you’ll find others, of course.
Personally, I think using options which rely on third-party services like Google or Microsoft is a bad idea. Sure, it comes with conveniences. However, it also makes you reliant on those outside services. I think pulling right out of your local Media Library is preferable.
The plug-in I use and prefer is PDF Embedder. In fact, I use the Premium version. It is dirt cheap, but it has conveniences such as more navigation options (for easier downloads for the end user), as well as automatic thumbnail generation. The thumbnail is convenient for feature images when you want to show your documents in a list format.
It is pretty easy. First, you just upload your PDF to your media library just like any other file. In the dialog window for inserting the file, you’ll see some extra fields there:
This content was originally published here.