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

Top-ranking reply

Courcoul

Level 6

18,684 points

Posted on Nov 20, 2014 1:21 AM

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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20 replies

Digital 1DX Author

Level 1

8 points

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

Courcoul

Level 6

18,684 points

Nov 20, 2014 9:38 AM in response to Digital 1DX

The screenshot I posted is the main iTunes v12.0.1 window running on a Mac with Lion v10.7.5 with an iPad 4/Retina running iOS 8.1.1 plugged in. I would hazard to say that the OS should be irrelevant and you should see a similar display. The File Sharing capabilities will be the same and with the same interface once you: a) have the latest iTunes installed and running, b) have the iPad plugged in and recognized by iTunes and c) have navigated/drilled down to the same section of iTunes' interface.

Digital 1DX Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 20, 2014 11:42 PM in response to Courcoul

Well folks, this is taking up way too much of my time. Following some of the suggestions about Dropbox, I have figured out a "work around" using this application. It isn't really pretty, but it works and I guess I will use it unless and until Apple realizes that they have really screwed up some of us by elimination the previous "drag and drop" functionality for pdfs from iTunes (I won't hold my breath). This is something I would expect from Microsoft (can you say Windows 8), but not Apple, so I guess there really is no difference - they take a good thing and make it worse 😮 .

DX 1

Digital 1DX Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 21, 2014 8:03 AM in response to selenafromshenzhen

Thanks Selena. I will think about giving this a try, but I am a bit concerned about trying to "sync" the pdfs that I have on my iPad with something on the computer. This is how I got into this situation in the first place - I lost some of the books on my iPad for no obvious reason. I have been able to get them back using my Dropbox "process", so I am inclined to stick with it as it works, even though it is a bit of an "ugly" process.

1D X

Digital 1DX Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 20, 2014 12:25 AM in response to Diavonex

Open and save PDF file to Adobe Reader.

It is unclear how this will help me. Adobe Reader on my PC or on the iPad?

Digital 1D X

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How do I download pdf files to my iPad mini?