Iphone 13 Promax Safari PDF Lag

I’m 99.99% sure it’s the variable refresh rate of the screen that’s the problem here. As a workaround, I’ve worked out you can go to Settings - Accessibility - Motion and turn the Limit Frame Rate setting on. This will stop the issue. Pretty bad though that you need to limit the frame rate.

I have called Apple back, given them all the details (including a video of the issue and system diagnostics from the phone) to a senior technician who is raising this with the engineering team and will let me know what they say.

However the workaround I mentioned above does work.

Still not fixed with iOS 15.3 but I have a temporary quick fix!

After you opened the desired PDF page in safari, click on the share icon down below. Click on the option with the pencil (in German it is called „Markierung“).

Now deactivate drawing by a single click above to the right (the pencil icon). Click on the middle of the page to deactivate the interface.

Now you have 120 Hz in PDF 🥳

It probably sounds like much but it only takes like 5 seconds. Easy 😃

I'm experiencing the same thing and this has been widely reported elsewhere. It appears to be related to ProMotion (variable refresh rates up to 120 Hz) rate on new phones. This explains why the problem goes away when capturing a screen recording (since I assume the phone dials back the refresh rate during screen recording) and when the phone's frame rate is limited (Settings > Accessibility > Motion > Limit Frame Rate).

So far the best fix is to just download the file by clicking the share button and opening it in Files app. Everything will stay smooth and you won’t have to go to settings to turn ProMotion off and back on again.

But still, this isn’t ideal, I hope Apple will address this issue with the next iOS update. I think it might have something to do with WebKit apps in general, not just Safari (I’m guessing it also doesn’t appear in Apple Mail and Files app because it’s a modifiable PDF, but correct me if I’m wrong).

Hello H1090,

The same problem is present for me and I have a temporary solution until apple fixes it.

I check and made sure that this problem was only for iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max. I tested a iPhone 13 and it was fine running a PDF. So, my conclusion was that this was because of the 120 Hz display. The iPhone 13 Pro Max caps at 60 Hz when you turn on battery mode. While I ran it at 60 Hz(battery mode), and the PDF was fine. But do keep in mind that you do loose the smooth 120 hz either way.

Hopefully, Apple will fix it.

-Ashwin

Same issue the screen lags quite a bit

it doesn’t happen when I turn in limit frame rate in accessibility settings

seems like a pro motion issue

I confirm that. Just did a screen recording now on my iPhone 13 Pro and the issue is instantly gone!

So this is something wrong with the adaptive refresh rate.

If you put the phone in save charge mode, it also solves the issue.

I also have the same issue. iPhone 13 Pro. All PDFs viewed in browsers are clunky when scrolling. Saving to Files and viewing natively on the phone work fine.

Anybody had an update from their Apple support tickets?

Merry Xmas 🎄

Yeah same issue here. No iOS Update fixed this so far. Restarting doesn‘t help at all. The only way to use Pdf files in safari properly is by limiting the framerate, turning on power saving mode or screenrecording. When promotion is activated it is very laggy to use, doesn‘t recognize all touches and gestures and won‘t reach even 60 Hertz

Reducing refresh rate to 60 Hz helps. But this is not how it should be solved in long-term…

Finally Apple fixed this problem, on iOS15.4 beta, the Webkit framework seemed to be optimised so the PDF scrolling is now smooth as good as possible.

About 3 months waiting, thanks god!

Seems to be fixed in 15.3 🎉

Good news, this is fixed in 15.4 :). Finally!!!!!

It‘s finally fixed for me on iOS 15.4! 😊

Fixed on iOS 15.4. It took six month.