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How to Open SharePoint Online PDFs in Acrobat Reader Mobile
Question details
The user wants to know how to open and view PDF files stored on SharePoint Online using the Acrobat Reader mobile application.
- Product
- SharePoint Online, Acrobat Reader Mobile
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Accessing and opening PDF documents hosted on a SharePoint Online server directly from a smartphone or mobile device.
- Observed behavior
- PDFs hosted on SharePoint fail to open directly in the Acrobat Reader mobile app when tapped from the SharePoint interface.
Ensure you have an active internet connection to access your SharePoint Online account, and verify that your device has enough local storage space to download the PDF file.
Download and Save the PDF Locally Before Opening
Since Acrobat Reader Mobile cannot always directly stream PDFs from SharePoint links, downloading the file to your device's local storage ensures it opens successfully.
Mobile operating systems often restrict apps from directly opening complex file URLs from cloud environments like SharePoint. Bypassing the direct link and saving the file locally bridges the gap between SharePoint's web environment and your mobile PDF reader.
Open the SharePoint mobile app or access your SharePoint Online site via your mobile web browser, then navigate to the document library containing the PDF.
Tap the three dots (More options) next to the PDF file name and select 'Download' or 'Save to device' to store the document on your phone's internal storage.
Launch the Acrobat Reader mobile app, go to the 'Files' tab, tap 'On This Device' or 'Downloads', and select the saved PDF file to view it.
View and Manage PDFs Seamlessly with WPS Office Mobile
WPS Office provides an all-in-one mobile solution that allows you to read, annotate, and manage PDFs downloaded from SharePoint or other cloud services with ease.
- 1. Install WPS Office: Download and install the free WPS Office app from the App Store or Google Play Store on your mobile device.
- 2. Save the PDF to your device: Download your target PDF file from SharePoint Online directly to your phone's local storage.
- 3. Open and read the file: Open WPS Office, tap on the 'PDF' tab or 'Open' icon, browse to your local downloads folder, and select the PDF to start viewing and annotating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won't my SharePoint PDF open directly when I tap it on my phone?
SharePoint links are typically designed to open within a web viewer rather than triggering local third-party apps. Depending on your mobile OS permissions, the link cannot hand over the file stream directly to an external app like Acrobat Reader without downloading it first.
Can I connect my SharePoint account directly to my mobile PDF reader?
Some PDF apps allow you to connect cloud storage providers directly. In Acrobat Reader, you can try adding a 'OneDrive' or 'SharePoint' account in the 'Locations' menu to browse files directly from the app, which often provides a smoother experience than opening links from a web browser.
How do I upload the PDF back to SharePoint after I edit it on my mobile device?
After saving your changes locally in your PDF app, open the SharePoint mobile app or web interface, navigate to the correct document library, tap the 'Upload' or '+' button, and select the edited PDF from your local device storage to replace the old version.
