I had saved off many PDF documents to the iBooks app, primarily product user manuals. Now they're all gone except for the iPhone User Guide.
I had done a backup to iTunes before getting my new XS & then restored to the new phone. This had never been a problem before using this method.
How can I get my PDFs back?
Thanks.
iPhone XS Max, iOS 12.0.1, Windows 10 PC
Do you still have the PDF files on your previous phone? If so, you have a few options.iTunes backups
From your Mac or PC, you can make a backup of your device in iTunes. Syncing your device with your computer isn't the same as making a backup. An iTunes backup includes nearly all of your device's data and settings. An iTunes backup doesn't include:
- Content from the iTunes and App Stores, or PDFs downloaded directly to Apple Books
- Content synced from iTunes, like imported MP3s or CDs, videos, books, and photos
- My Photo Stream
- Face ID or Touch ID settings
- Apple Pay information and settings
- Activity, Health, and Keychain data (To back up this content, you'll need to use Encrypted Backup in iTunes.)
You could also share them between devices using the Share menu. You'll find the details here, from this resource titled Save and edit PDFs on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with the Books app :Change your settings
To control some settings of Apple Books on your iOS device, you need to have iCloud Drive turned on: Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud and turn on both iCloud Drive and Books. Then go to Settings > Books.
Under Syncing, you can change settings like these:
- Turn on Reading Now to sync your reading progress, current book, notes, and bookmarks using your iCloud account. Reading Now only syncs to other iOS devices, not your Mac.
- Turn on iCloud Drive to sync PDFs, EPUBS, and books created with iBooks Author that you didn't purchase from the Book Store that you added to your Library across all of your devices.
I hope this helps you to recover your PDF files.Print or email a PDF
In the Library section of the Books app, find the PDF that you want to print or email. Tap
in the lower-right corner below the PDF, then tap Share PDF. Choose Mail or Print, then follow the onscreen instructions.
From the Share menu, you can also copy the PDF to paste somewhere else, send it via Messages, Save to Files, or import it to any other apps that appear
Do you still have the PDF files on your previous phone? If so, you have a few options.iTunes backups
From your Mac or PC, you can make a backup of your device in iTunes. Syncing your device with your computer isn't the same as making a backup. An iTunes backup includes nearly all of your device's data and settings. An iTunes backup doesn't include:
- Content from the iTunes and App Stores, or PDFs downloaded directly to Apple Books
- Content synced from iTunes, like imported MP3s or CDs, videos, books, and photos
- My Photo Stream
- Face ID or Touch ID settings
- Apple Pay information and settings
- Activity, Health, and Keychain data (To back up this content, you'll need to use Encrypted Backup in iTunes.)
You could also share them between devices using the Share menu. You'll find the details here, from this resource titled Save and edit PDFs on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with the Books app :Change your settings
To control some settings of Apple Books on your iOS device, you need to have iCloud Drive turned on: Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud and turn on both iCloud Drive and Books. Then go to Settings > Books.
Under Syncing, you can change settings like these:
- Turn on Reading Now to sync your reading progress, current book, notes, and bookmarks using your iCloud account. Reading Now only syncs to other iOS devices, not your Mac.
- Turn on iCloud Drive to sync PDFs, EPUBS, and books created with iBooks Author that you didn't purchase from the Book Store that you added to your Library across all of your devices.
I hope this helps you to recover your PDF files.Print or email a PDF
In the Library section of the Books app, find the PDF that you want to print or email. Tap
From the Share menu, you can also copy the PDF to paste somewhere else, send it via Messages, Save to Files, or import it to any other apps that appear
Thanks very much for the prompt detailed response Joseph. I'm afraid I turned my old phone in when I purchased the new one. So those PDF files are long gone.
But now I know. I just wish that I'd known about this change in behavior earlier.
Thanks again.
My PDFs are missing from Books app
