how to upload pdf to ipad

My PDF was too big to email myself as suggested in this thread. Here's how I did it:

1) Save PDF to my documents folder on my MacBook Pro

2) Connect my iPad to my MacBook (as long as iTunes is on PC my guess is these steps work there too)

3) Open iTunes, (if not open already)

3) Click (from iTunes menu) File, then Add To Library

4) navigate to Documents folder (where I saved the PDF in Step 1)

5) Click on desired PDF file, then click the Open button

6) Click the Sync button on iTunes

7) Open iBooks on iPad

8) Select Library, then Collectioins and click on desired PDF

9) Slap self on back for job well done :-)

Hope this helps anyone in a similar predicament.
Doug

I had an important 380 page pdf i NEEDED to get on my Ipad.

This thread and the various answer-people saved the day!

I followed the drag pdf to books -> itunes sync download ibooks app -> collections.......flow.

there it is!

thanks to you fine folks!

-Bj

I had a similar issue to transfer a large pdf to ipad that I could not email to myself due to size. I imported the pdf in itune (where it shows up in the book library) and then tried to synchronize the file with my Ipad2. After synchronization, the file still does not appear in the ibooks pdf collection on the ipad. I tried to reboot the ipad but nothing did. The pdf does simply not show up in the ipad's ibooks. The pdf is not corrupted since I can open it in Itune. Is there maybe a limitation to the size of the pdf that you can sync with your ipad ? Not sure what else I could try... Thanks for any advice.

Thanks for your fast response Doug, much appreciated.

The pdf that I managed to import in Itune (your steps 1-5) does properly show up in itune, so I am not sure what you mean by manually importing the pdf to my library's collection. Do you mean manually drag and drop the pdf from my imac document folder to the itune library ? My understanding is that once a pdf shows up properly in the itune book library then you should be able to transfer it to your ipad with the synchronization. In my case, after synchronization, when I open iBooks on iPad and select PDF Collections in the ibooks library, the document does simply not show up (empty library). Is there a way to manually add the pdf collection on the ipad after synchronisation ? Would these pdfs be located somewhere else on the ipad than in ibooks ? On the other side, when I email a small size pdf to myself on the Imac, I manage to export the attached pdf to ibooks (on the Ipad )and it shows well under the pdf collection in ibooks as expected. So really not sure what is wrong with the larger pdf and why it would not show up on the ipad...

Arthis,

I am making the following assumtions:

1) Your iPad has enough space to hold to PDF file

2) You've also followed my Steps 7 & 8

3) You are NOT on the last page (empty) of the book shelf

4) The PDF doc is CHECKED on your iMac... no checkmark, no syncy - UNLESS you have the ALL BOOKS selected under Sync Books (iTunes on iMac) :-)

I try to think of other issues that might be the cause.

Doug

Yes Doug, your assumptions are correct, the ipad has plenty of space left, and i checked not to be on the last page of the ibook shelf on the ipad (under the pdf section). To note that I still do see all the other pdfs I imported via self emailing. The pdf doc is indeed checked on the Imac Itune before synchronization. Could the size of the pdf be a limitation to import via itunes sync ?

Arthis, I have two suggestions; try unchecking the PDF box, synching, and then rechecking followed by another synch. I find that sort of toggle often makes things straighten out when I'm 90% sure they are behaving strangely but not positive- and I've learned that type of thinking can save me hours of head pounding against my desk... ;) Personally, I keep the ALL box checked for books- even with a large collection the size is minuscule compared to apps and movies and I found doing so eliminated random books and PDFs from just disappearing into the ether.

The other thing that you may have already tried, but just in case you're like me and sometimes forget it's there is to hold down the Home button for a few ticks to pull up the finder search box and type in the name of your file. I have a bit of a problem with apps - 483 on my iPad according to a clearly erroneous head count by iOS- and I've bid that's by far the easiest way to launch anything not on my first couple of screens.

And I'd just like to thank all who give their time and especially those who pull these threads back into a place that uplifts us all rather than depressing/p!ssing us off... I will say I have felt what the grumpy dude at the beginning was speaking to- sometimes it's beyond frustrating to feel that answers are both obtuse and derisive. Maybe he was having a bad week for other reasons... Regardless, being frustrated and confused falls under Life's not Always Sunshine and Unicorns- but the worst move possible is to lash out at someone taking time to help you out of your ignorance!

I forget the exact title and link but something that really helped me last summer was a blog post I see around some about How to Ask a question in a place like this. I consider myself reasonably intelligent, but I learned a great deal from it- I'll try to find it and post the link in case anyone (including OP) is interested in more effectively getting their needs met here.

I don't post much because I don't have nearly as much good info as many others- but I can't imagine how I'd function without this forum and others like it. Thanks again!

You can connect your iPad to your computer > open iTunes > Select your iPad in the left panel of iTunes > select Apps from the top menu in iTunes > scroll down to File Sharing > select your app > drag and drop your files in the Documents area

1. There is no Apps in top Menu only File Edit View Contros Store Help.

2. There is Apps on left panel under Library but when selece there is no "File Sharing" only the

Apps themselves listed in a grid with their icons.

Hello all. So this is all well and good but I don't want to have to use my computer to get every PDF I have to read on my iPad. I'm a college student and by that point it is much easier just to read it on the computer. Is there any way I can read PDFs without using my computer?

Thanks for all these helpful (and otherwise interesting) comments. I have succesfully gotten a group of large PDF photography books onto my ipad, and now I would like to delete them from my PC (yes, they are backed up) to save space. I read somewhere that I should delete them through iTunes rather than in their original location, and that I would be offered a choice of deleting them only on my computer or both online and on the hard drive. I tried several times, and each time was told that deletion would also erase the files on my ipad and iphone (at the moment I am able to open them in iBooks). So, I didn't do that but I DO need the space.

I thought maybe if the program got a good rest it would work right today, but the problem is the same. Can you help? 😕

Awesome thread, no sign of rude caveman with heaps of tech-workers working him but still cant get a pdf on an ipad, anyway...

I also tried to get PDF's into my iPad but iBooks (for me) was not listed as a file shareable compatible app (ios 7.0.3), I dislike adobe reader so I found another way to get them into ibooks.

1) Setup Dropbox (PC/iPad).

2) Upload my PDF's to Dropbox (400MB+).

3) Open the PDF in Dropbox app on the ipad.

4) Click Download, Open In, then I Selected Open In iBooks.

Sure it is a long was around but it also works with files too big for email.

For the apple haters who think this is a pain, sure it it but is that way for a reason. If there was an open C drive as such (/dev/home) then "cavemen" would save viruses and junk in there quicker than you can say "uuuuggggghhhhhhh".

I like my iOS Devices clean and safe from viruses, if you want a dumping ground goto Android where you have open access or windows where you have to fight for free space with the OS and viruses.

Thanks for previous tips, free tech support peeps.

Thanks for the answers. But I am still struggling with Ipad 1 due to

1. I cant install dropbox as it requires IOS 7 which is not available to Ipad 1.

2. When I open Itunes, I dont see Ipad under devices - am i missing something?

Sorry, for being so ignorant. Thanks

You have to have an app that supports file sharing through iTunes. iBooks should work.

I still think the easiest thing to do, unless you're talking about a huge number of PDFs, is to email them to yourself.

I do have ibooks but when I go to File Sharing ...I dont see this App to transfer files. I need to transfer some 200 odd files which I am finding tiresome to send through email as well as the fact that some of these files are very big.

Tap on the file to download it. Tap on once it has downloaded to open it. When it's open, tap the Open in... box in the upper right. You should then be given a choice of all the apps on your device in which you can open a PDF. Select the one you want to use.

Best of luck.