Why can't iTunes12.4 see newly created pdf's in iBooks?

Hello there, blackxacto.

It sounds like you are wanting to sync PDF's to your iPad Air without using the iCloud service. The following Knowledge Base article offers up some great information on that:

Use iBooks with PDF documents on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Sync and save PDFs

The first time that you open iBooks after you update to iOS 9.3 or OS X 10.11.4, you'll be prompted to use iCloud. Learn more about syncing your books and PDFs using iCloud.

You can also add PDFs to your iTunes library on your computer by dragging and dropping the PDF into your iTunes Book library. The files will appear when you are preparing your device to sync. If you're using OS X Mavericks or later, drag and drop your PDFs into your iBooks library using iBooks for Mac. All PDF or iBook files in your iBooks library are available to sync to your iOS device via iTunes.

To sync a PDF from your computer to iBooks on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:

1. Select your iOS device. (Learn how to sync your data with iTunes.)
2. Under Settings, click Books.
3. Select Sync Books.
4. If iTunes is set to sync only selected books, make sure that there's a check in the checkbox next to the PDF you want to sync.
5. Click Sync.

You can also use iTunes to back up your PDF files. To transfer PDFs to your computer and back them up, transfer purchases from your iOS device to your computer. These files are not in an iTunes Backup. Learn more about what's contained in iTunes and iCloud backups.

There is some additional information in regards to PDF and compatibility found here:

About iBooks

Download books from other websites

iBooks supports the ePub file format, PDFs, MP3 audiobooks, AAC audiobooks, and audible.com audiobooks. iBooks Author books are supported in iBooks 2.0 or later on iPad, iBooks 4.3 or later on iPhone and iPod touch, and on all versions of iBooks for Mac. Audiobooks are supported in iBooks 4.3 or later on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

If you want to add books, audiobooks, and PDFs from outside the iBooks Store or audible.comto iBooks, they need to be DRM-free. You can sync them using iTunes 10.5.3 or later. Some PDFs might not be compatible with iBooks.

Books that you download from the Kindle Store and other books that aren't in a DRM-free standard ePub format aren't compatible with iBooks.

Thanks for reaching out to Apple Support Communities.

Kind Regards.

Hi,

I just create a test pdf file and save it.

Right click on the new created pdf and open with iBooks.app.

The new pdf will be open and wil appear in iBooks.

blackxacto wrote:

If you don't understand the question, go help someone else.

blackxacto, you are a very rude person. Despite that I am going to try and help you.

On your iPad Go to Settings > iCloud > iCloud Drive. On the iCloud Drive screen is iBooks enable (toggle is green) if it is turn it off.

On your Mac Go to Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud. On that screen click on iCloud Drive "Options". On that screen is iBooks checkbox selected? If yes, uncheck it.

Now try connecting iPad to iTunes and see if you can sync PDF files on iPad to Computer.

Like I said, you are an extremely rude person, yet I tried to help.

No one has tried to sell you any storage, all the posts in this thread are from other users who have been trying to help you including mine.

You are so fixated on this belief that someone is trying to sell you something you don't recognize when someone is trying to help you. As such I will no longer participate in this discussion and will not be offering you any more assistance.

Good luck, you are going to need it in your miserable life.

If you follow the steps I suggested, the pdf automatically appear in iTunes 😎

There is no problem with iBooks & iTunes 12.4, what the problem is with YOU that is the big question 😮

I wish you Good luck too 😁

Assuming you don't know how to deal with iTunes 12.4 😕

iTunes 12.4 has two screens, the Start screen and the Settings screen.

iTunes does show the pdf when you are in the Settings screen

If you click on the device button, the Settings screen will appear.

Now you can synchronize, see the screenshot in my second post 😉

Hello, for anyone not having this phenomenon they don't understand. I was having exactly the same problem. If it happens again you can do it like this, you don't need iCloud if you don't need to sync your bookmarks in your books between devices.

Solution: go into iBooks and make sure you physically copy all your books to a folder somewhere.

Go into mac OS / System Preferences / iCloud Drive / iBooks / turn it off (Your books will be deleted from iBooks)

Go into iOS / settings / iCloud / iCloud Drive / iBooks / turn it off.

now you can go to MAC OS iBooks / Add to Library / add all your books from the folder.

When that's finished iTunes will see the pdf's in iBooks

Now it works without iCloud.

Cheers

OldDave58, there has been such confusion on this issue, driving me mad too until now thanks to you & your solution to the problem. Thank you for sharing your discovery to us all 🙂

Cheers

Yeah, iTunes has become very complicated, it took me a while to figure it out. Because I don't need to sync my bookmarks between devices this works for me. I'm glad I could help somebody else.

Cheers.