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Can a PDF file be directly viewed on a Webflow website without downloading it?

TL;DR
  • Upload your PDF to Webflow's Assets panel and copy its URL.
  • Use an Embed element with an iframe containing the PDF URL or a Google Docs Viewer link for improved cross-browser compatibility.

You can display a PDF directly on your Webflow site, but Webflow doesn't natively support embedded PDF viewers. You’ll need to use third-party tools or embed techniques to achieve this.

1. Upload the PDF to Webflow

  • Open your Webflow project and go to the Assets panel.
  • Drag and drop the PDF file into the Assets panel to upload it.
  • Once uploaded, right-click the file and choose Copy URL. This link directs to the hosted PDF file.

2. Use an Embed Element with an iframe

  • Drag an Embed element onto your page.
  • Paste the following iframe embed into it, replacing "your_pdf_url" with your actual PDF URL:
    <iframe src="your_pdf_url" width="100%" height="600px" style="border:none;" loading="lazy"></iframe>
  • This will attempt to display the PDF directly in the browser, assuming the browser supports inline PDF viewing.

3. Consider Browser Limitations

  • Not all browsers handle embedded PDFs consistently. Most modern browsers (like Chrome and Edge) will render it inline, but some—especially on mobile—may force a download.
  • For full compatibility or enhanced viewing (like zoom or scroll), you can use a third-party viewer like Google Docs Viewer or PDF.js.

4. Use Google Docs Viewer (Optional)

  • Replace the iframe code with this format:
    <iframe src="https://docs.google.com/gview?url=your_pdf_url&embedded=true" width="100%" height="600px" style="border:none;" loading="lazy"></iframe>
  • This method tends to have more consistent cross-browser support, though it depends on Google services.

Summary

While Webflow doesn't offer built-in PDF viewing, you can embed a hosted PDF in an iframe for in-browser viewing, using either direct PDF linking or Google Docs Viewer for broader compatibility.

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