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2 Ways to Insert a PDF into a Google Doc [Easy Guide]

September 19, 2023 1.4K views

Google Docs is a versatile tool that can be used for a variety of tasks, from writing documents to collaborating with others. However, one of the limitations of Google Docs is that it cannot natively open PDF files. This can be a problem if you need to insert a PDF into your Google Doc.

Fortunately, there are several ways to insert PDFs into Google Docs. In this preface, we will discuss 2 ways to do this. We will also discuss the pros and cons of each method.

By the end of this preface, you will be able to insert PDFs into Google Docs with ease. So let's get started!

How to Insert a PDF into a Google Doc as a Link?

That is a great way to insert a PDF into a Google Doc as a link. Here are the steps in more detail:

Step 1: Open the Google Doc where you want to insert the PDF.

Step 2: Upload the PDF to Google Drive. You can do this by clicking on the "New" button and selecting "File upload".

Step 3: Once the PDF has been uploaded, right-click on it and select "Share".

Step 4: In the dialog box that appears, select the file sharing settings that you want. You can choose to make the link public, share it with specific people, or keep it private.

Step 5: Click on the "Copy link" button.

Step 6: Go back to your Google Doc and place your cursor where you want to insert the link. Right-click and select "Paste". You can also press Ctrl+V on your keyboard.

The PDF will now be inserted into your Google Doc as a link. When someone clicks on the link, it will open the PDF in a new tab or window.

Here are some additional tips for inserting a PDF into a Google Doc as a link:

● If you want to change the file sharing settings for the link, you can do so after you have pasted it into the Google Doc. Right-click on the link and select "Get shareable link". This will open the same window that you saw when you first created the link.

● You can also change the text that appears for the link. By default, the text will be the name of the PDF file. However, you can change it to anything you want. To do this, right-click on the link and select "Edit link".

● If you want to preview the PDF document before you insert it as a link, you can do so by clicking on the link. This will open the PDF in a new tab in your browser.

Also some pros and cons of inserting a PDF into a Google Doc as a link:

Pros:

● It is the easiest and most direct method.

● You can see the latest version of the PDF document whenever you click on the link.

● You can share the link with others so that they can view the PDF document.

Cons:

● The PDF document will not be embedded in the Google Doc, so you will not be able to edit it.

● If the PDF document is protected by encryption, you will not be able to insert it as a link.

How to Insert a PDF into a Google Doc as an Image?

If you want to insert pdf into Google doc without a link, unfortunately we can't insert pdf directly into Google doc. So we need to convert the pdf to image first and then insert the image into Google doc.

Please follow these steps to do:

Step 1: Find a PDF to image converter. There are many online converters available, such as CloudConvert: https://cloudconvert.com/pdf-to-jpg

Step 2: Select the PDF files that you want to convert.

Step 3: Click on the "Convert" button.

Step 4: The converter will convert the PDF files to images and save them on your computer.

Step 5: Go back to Google Docs and place your cursor where you want to insert the image.

Step 6: Click on the "Insert" tab and select "Image".

Step 7: In the "Select an image" window, select the image that you converted from the PDF file and click on the "Open" button.

Step 8: The image will now be inserted into the Google Doc. You can resize and move the image as needed.

Here are some additional tips for inserting a PDF into a Google Doc as an image:

● Choose the right converter. There are many PDF to image converters available, so it is important to choose one that will give you the best quality images.

Optimize the images. Once you have converted the PDF files to images, you can optimize them to reduce their file size. This will make them easier to upload and share.

Use a watermark. If you want to prevent people from copying or using your images without permission, you can add a watermark to them.

Embed the images. If you want to prevent the images from being resized or distorted, you can embed them in the Google Doc. To do this, right-click on the image and select "Embed image".

Pros and cons of inserting a PDF into a Google Doc as an image:

Pros:

● You can edit the image, such as cropping it or changing its brightness and contrast.

● You can resize the image to fit the space that you have available.

● You can move the image anywhere in the Google Doc.

Cons:

● The image file size may be large, which can slow down the loading of the Google Doc.

● If you make changes to the original PDF file, the image will not be updated.

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Why Can't I Upload a PDF to Google Docs?

● Google Drive has insufficient storage space.

● A single PDF file is too large and difficult to upload. It will take a long time to upload.

● PDF is locked. It needs a password to open it. Encrypted PDFs cannot be uploaded.

Those are some of the reasons why you might not be able to upload a PDF to Google Docs. Here are some other reasons:

● The PDF file is corrupt or damaged.

● You are trying to upload a PDF file to a shared Google Doc that you do not have permission to edit.

● You are trying to upload a PDF file that is larger than the maximum file size allowed by Google Drive. The maximum file size for Google Drive is 100 GB.

If you are still having trouble uploading a PDF file to Google Docs, you can try the following:

● Check the storage space in your Google Drive. If you have insufficient storage space, you can free up some space by deleting old files or by upgrading your Google Drive plan.

● Compress the PDF file. This will reduce the file size and make it easier to upload.

● Try a different PDF file. If the PDF file is corrupt or damaged, try uploading a different file.

● Contact Google Drive support. If you are still having trouble, you can contact Google Drive support for help.

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FAQs

1. How to Save a PDF as a Picture?

To save a PDF as a PNG, you can use a PDF to image converter. There are many online converters available, such as CloudConvert and iLovePDF. Simply upload the PDF file to the converter and select PNG as the output format.

2. How to convert a PDF to a Word document?

To convert a PDF to a Word document, you can use an online converter or a software application. Some popular online converters include Small Pdf and Zamzar. Some popular software applications include Adobe Acrobat and Foxit Reader.

3. How to save a PDF as a picture without losing quality?

To save a PDF as a picture without losing quality, you can use a lossless image format such as PNG or TIFF. These formats will preserve the original quality of the PDF image.

4. How to save a PDF as a picture on a Mac?

To save a PDF as a picture on a Mac, you can use the Preview app. Open the PDF in Preview and then click on the "File" menu. Select "Export" and then choose the image format that you want to save the PDF as.

Summary

Google Docs is a word processing software that allows you to create and edit documents online. However, it does not natively support PDF files. This means that you cannot directly insert a PDF file into a Google Doc. This article already guided you to do it in 2 ways easily.

If you want to insert a PDF into a Google Doc and be able to edit it, you can use WPS Office. WPS Office is a free and open-source office suite that includes a PDF editor. So, download WPS Office and you can do it easily.


15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.