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How do I download pdf files to my iPad mini?

In a previous version of iTunes, I used to be able to drag and drop pdf files to my ipad from my PC after adding them to the Library. With the latest version of iTunes, this "capability" seems to have evaporated. Why did Apple do this and who was the mental-midget that made the decision to do away with this capability?


I have tried mailing them to myself from my PC, picking up the mail on my iPad, but all I get is an ability to download the pdf to a "drive". To my knowledge, there is no "drive" on my iPad, so I do not know where the pdf goes when I click on the button. There does not seem to be anyway to get the pdf off the e-mail and into the "iBooks" part of the iPad. ITunes seems to only be able to download music files.


Thus the question - how do I get pdf files off my desktop Windows (V. 7) PC and on to my iPad mini? Any insight that anyone can provide as to how to make this happen easily, will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


Ron

iPad Mini, iOS 8.1, PV runs under Windows 7.1 64 bit

Posted on Nov 19, 2014 11:30 PM

Reply
20 replies

Nov 20, 2014 12:53 AM in response to Diavonex

What is GoodReader? Is this something I have to pay to get from the APPS store?


Sorry to be so slow on this, but ever since Apple changed things, they have really screwed things up for folks like me who simply want to move a pdf from their PC to their iPad without a lot of this intervening "crap". I fail to understand why they couldn't leave a good thing well enough alone.


How do I get iCloud on my PC? How do I get it on my iPad?. I have never had to use these services (if that is what they are called) and I find this whole thing over-complicated and very frustrating.


Anyway, it is getting very late here and I must get off to bed for a few hours sleep.


Ron

Nov 20, 2014 12:57 AM in response to Digital 1DX

When you email the PDF to yourself does it arrive as a thumbnail if so hold your finger on the thumnail until the window opens up.

Also you can tap the thumbnail to open it, tap the PDF, then tap the share icon(box with arrow) in the upper right corner.


This seems to work, but it means that I can only download one pdf file at a time - what an ugly process! I wish I could get my old version of iTunes back.


1D X

Nov 20, 2014 1:21 AM in response to Digital 1DX

If you are using and already have iTunes set up for managing your device, click on the Apps item on the left column when in the device's window. On the top part of the window you'll see how your apps are arranged on the various screens (can install/remove them or rearrange the screens there). Scroll down past that and you will find the File Sharing section. Scroll down to whatever app you want to use for viewing PDFs (i.e., the free Reader app). You will then see what files that app has associated and stored in its private space. There you can upload (Add..), download (Save to…) files from the device, or delete them by pressing the Delete key.These files do NOT need to be in any Library.


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How do I download pdf files to my iPad mini?

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