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Supported file types

PDF Connect only supports PDF files. Learn about requirements and compatibility.

Supported format​

PDF files only (.pdf extension)

PDF Connect is designed exclusively for PDF documents.

Not supported​

These file types will not work:

❌ Word documents (.doc, .docx)
❌ Excel spreadsheets (.xls, .xlsx)
❌ PowerPoint presentations (.ppt, .pptx)
❌ Images (.jpg, .png, .gif)
❌ Text files (.txt)
❌ HTML files (.html)
❌ ZIP archives (.zip)

Convert to PDF first​

If you have other file types:

From Microsoft Office:

  • Use "Save As PDF" or "Export as PDF"
  • All Office apps support PDF export
  • Maintains formatting

From images:

  • Use online converters (jpg2pdf.com, etc.)
  • Mac Preview: Open image → Export as PDF
  • Combine multiple images into one PDF

From web pages:

  • Browser print dialog → Save as PDF
  • Maintains links and formatting
  • Works in all modern browsers

PDF version compatibility​

Supported PDF versions:

  • PDF 1.4 and later
  • Most PDFs created in last 15 years
  • Adobe PDF standards

Older PDFs:

  • Very old PDFs (before 2000) might have issues
  • Re-save with modern PDF software if problems occur

PDF features supported​

Text and images:

  • All standard text and images work
  • Fonts are preserved
  • Images display correctly

Links and bookmarks:

  • Internal links work (jump to page)
  • External links work (open websites)
  • Bookmarks/table of contents function

Forms:

  • Fillable forms are viewable
  • Form filling works in popup viewer
  • Submit buttons might not work (depending on configuration)

Security:

  • Password-protected PDFs might not display
  • Remove passwords before uploading
  • Encrypted PDFs may have issues

PDF features not supported​

Interactive elements:

  • Embedded videos won't play
  • Audio files won't work
  • 3D models won't render
  • JavaScript might not execute

Digital signatures:

  • Signatures display as images
  • Validation won't work
  • Upload unsigned copies for best results

Layers:

  • Visible layers display
  • Hidden layers stay hidden
  • Toggle layer features won't work

File extension requirements​

Must be .pdf:

  • File must end in .pdf
  • Uppercase .PDF works too
  • No other extensions accepted

Wrong extension:

  • Change extension to .pdf if needed
  • Some converters add wrong extensions
  • Verify extension before uploading

PDF creation best practices​

For best compatibility:

✅ Use standard fonts (Arial, Times, etc.)
✅ Embed all fonts in the PDF
✅ Flatten layers before saving
✅ Optimize for web viewing
✅ Keep PDF version current (1.7 or 2.0)
✅ Test PDF on your computer first

Avoid:

❌ Password protection
❌ Encryption
❌ Complex interactive features
❌ Embedded multimedia
❌ Very old PDF standards

Create/edit PDFs:

  • Adobe Acrobat (paid, professional)
  • Preview (Mac, free, basic)
  • PDFescape (web-based, free)
  • LibreOffice (free, open source)
  • Microsoft Office (export to PDF)

Compress PDFs:

  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Smallpdf.com
  • PDF Compressor
  • Preview (Mac - Reduce File Size)

Convert to PDF:

  • Microsoft Office (built-in)
  • Google Docs (download as PDF)
  • Online converters (many free options)
  • Print to PDF (built into most systems)

Verify file before uploading​

Check your PDF:

  1. Open it on your computer first
  2. Verify all pages display correctly
  3. Test any links or bookmarks
  4. Confirm file size is reasonable
  5. Make sure it's actually a PDF

Common issues:

  • File is actually an image renamed to .pdf (won't work)
  • PDF is corrupted (re-create it)
  • Password protected (remove password)
  • Too large (compress it)

Next steps​