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How to get a pdf in iBooks onto my iPhone?

I have successfully copied a pdf into iBooks on my Mac running Mavericks. I have enabled syncing in iBooks on both Mac and iPhone, but the pdf has not so far synced to my 'phone. I can't get it into iTunes, where books still sync to my 'phone. Please advise!

iPhone 5s, Other OS

Posted on Oct 23, 2013 6:16 AM

Reply
131 replies

Oct 24, 2013 2:56 PM in response to Jennybelle

The pdf I copied into iBooks on my Mac after updating to Mavericks does not appear in the Books tab when my iPhone is connected to the Mac. Other pdf files which were there before the upgrade to Mavericks are still available. It does not look like the Books tab mirrors iBooks content in the way that it mirrored books and pdfs previously in iTunes/Books. I am still trying to find a way around this. When the 'phone is connected, iBooks does not appear (unlike, say, Pages) in the Apps tab under Sharing, so pdfs cannot be added that way! In Settings/iBooks on the iPhone I chose Sync Collections, so far to no avail.

P. Bowden

Oct 25, 2013 5:36 AM in response to Peter Bowden

Hi Peter,

Yes Jennybelle is correct, here's a more detailed view below:


You obvously know how to import PDFs into iBooks on Mavericks.

For others just go to >File>add to Library

User uploaded file


Now connect your iPhone & then iPhone>Books, here make sure you have Books & PDFs selected

User uploaded file


Then make sure that the pdf you've uploaded is checked too!

User uploaded file

You can Sync All or just Selected Books, I choose Selected.

User uploaded file

I hope this helps?

Oct 30, 2013 9:02 PM in response to Peter Bowden

You're not crazy.

I, too, tried to get iBooks on my MacBook Air (OS X 10.9) to sync some homemade PDF's to iBooks on my iPad 2 (iOS 7.0.3) and never did figure it out. However, Kindle for iPad can handle PDF's just fine, and I was able to push my files from the laptop to ipad using iTunes (11.1.2) without any problem. This is with the iPad connected directly to the MacBook Air with a cable, not wirelessly. Then I could view my PDF's with the Kindle app.

Not the solution you were looking for, but a pretty good workaround.

Nov 1, 2013 10:40 AM in response to Peter Bowden

Same situation. Items added to iBooks on iMac do not sync across devices! Purchased items are the only ones syncing. Why have iBooks on iMac if there is no syncing?


Before, I used to add files to Dropbox on the iMac and on other devices open them in iBooks and it worked. Making iBooks on macs should eliminate these extra steps not create new problems.

Nov 1, 2013 1:22 PM in response to Tony Giordano

I added them to the iBooks library. Just open iBooks go to File > Add to library...


The PDF's should be visible in iBooks right away.


Next step is to restart iTunes if you have it open. Connect your iOS device, select your device in iTunes and go to the Books tab. The PDF's should be there, available to check the ones you'd like to sync. If they're not than they're not fully indexed and will be added next time you open iTunes or reconnect your iOS device. Not sure how this indexing works. But it seems it takes longer when you add several PDF files to IBooks library.


I hope this helps.

Nov 1, 2013 1:40 PM in response to bluevoice

After upgrading to Mav. my books were moved. Now they reside in: Users --->MyUserName--->Library (invisible)-->Containers--->com.apple.BKAgentService--->Data--->Documents--->iB ooks--->Books.


Since Library is invisible iBooks can't see it to add the book (PDF) from that folder.


If I drag the book to iBooks a message comes up: "This book is already in your library (which it is not). Do you want to replace it with the one your adding?"


I click Replace and that same message appears. If I click Replace again, the same message appears again and again until I hit Cancel.


I've relaunched iBooks and the book never appears in iBooks or iTunes. The only way to get it to my iPhone is through DB and then go Open in iBooks.

How to get a pdf in iBooks onto my iPhone?

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