WhatsApp is a popular messaging app with a growing number of users every day. People use this app to send pictures, videos, and other media, as well as for messaging purposes. The latest versions of WhatsApp allow users to send PDF files through the app.
A portable document format (PDF) is a format that displays text and graphics electronically without compromising quality.
Many people choose WhatsApp to send PDF files to friends or contacts. It’s important to learn about these concepts because both files and WhatsApp are essential daily tools for personal and professional life.
In this article, we will let you know how to share PDF files on WhatsApp and provide other ideas.
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File Size and Type Requirements for WhatsApp
WhatsApp has added a new feature for sending PDF files through it. Most of the users are familiar with this feature, but some still may not be fully aware of it. To help those users, we are here for them.
Sometimes, you may not be able to send the documents and have so much confusion. Mostly this happens because of the following reasons:
- You may not have an updated version of Whatsapp.
- The file might exceed 100 MB; you should compress large documents to a zip.
- Not having a strong internet connection takes more time to load if it is weak.
- The document type should be in PDF format.
One should fulfill the requirements mentioned above to send a PDF document unless there created an error in uploading.
Compress and Reduce File Size
Sharing a file larger than 100MB on WhatsApp should be compressed, or you can use third-party apps like SwifDoo or Google Drive.
You cannot send a PDF file larger than 100MB because it is transferred through servers from one chat to another when you send a document.
You should use compression apps to send a file larger than 100MB on WhatsApp. Some are listed below.
- RAR
- AZIP Master
- BestZip
- iZip
You can compress or decompress the file on Android, iPhone, and Computer by choosing these apps.
The best and easiest way to share your large files is by uploading your file to Google Drive first and then sending the shareable link to your friends.
How to Send PDF Files in Whatsapp Using Mobile App?
The latest version of Whatsapp makes it easy for users to send PDF files using Androids or iPhones.
You should have an updated version of the app to share documents; you can update it from the Play Store or App Store.
You can also send PDF documents to your friend on Messenger using the web app.
Sharing notes and books in the form of PDFs has become a popular way during online courses. You can share every PDF file on WhatsApp by adopting two methods, which are given below:
Method 1: Send PDF From the Chat Screen
It is the method of sending documents from the conversation screen. Whatsapp has a feature to send documents, from where you can send any type of file, including PDF, DOC, Excel, and more.
The steps that should follow to send PDFs from the chat screen on WhatsApp using Android or iPhone are quite similar. Here we are listing the steps using Android.
1. First, open WhatsApp on your mobile phone.
2. Make sure you are on the Chats view; if not, jump into it.
3. Choose the person with whom you want to share documents. You will see your conversations if you have any.
4. Tap the paperclip icon that is on the side of the message typing area. Now, you can see various options for what you want to share.
5. Select the document from there, and you will be able to see the files.
6. Choose the PDFs you want to share. You can choose a number of documents at once.
7. After selection, tap “Send” from the top right corner.
You will see the file preview with details like pages and size there. Below that, you will see an option to add a caption from where you can add a short description of the file.
Tapping on the recipient’s name below the caption area allows you to choose four more recipients.
8. At last, tap on send icon to share.
Successfully, you shared the document with one whom you are willing to send.
Method 2: Send PDF Using Mobile Share
Another method is to attach PDFs from File Manager rather than the WhatsApp chat screen. In this way, you need to go for file manager instead of Whatsapp conversation.
Keep staying with us, and we will show you a complete guide in a simple way:
1. Open one of the File Manager on your phone. There you will see the media and files option.
2. Look for Documents and click it. Various documents will be visible on the display.
3. Long press the documents for 2 seconds, and they will be selected automatically.
4. Now, tap on the share at the top of the screen. Now, you will see various apps to share.
5. Pick Whatsapp from there and choose the person you want to share the file with.
You can share with up to 5 people at a time. The names you select will appear on the left side of send icon.
6. Click on the “Send” icon. Now, the document format type and size will be visible with an option to add a caption.
7. Touch the “Send icon” to share the document.
Finally, you are able to share PDF files in Whatsapp using the mobile share option, which is easy and fast to perform.
You may also like: Send WhatsApp Messages without Saving the Number
How to Send PDF Files in WhatsApp Using Web or Desktop App?
WhatsApp allows you to share PDF files using a Web or Desktop app. Besides this, you can also share photos, videos, audio, and contacts by using it. You can share everything from the Web app.
We will teach you to send PDF files via WhatsApp using a web app in two ways. After following these steps, we are sure that you won’t have any doubts regarding file sharing on Whatsapp.
Method 1: Send PDF Using Document Feature
In this method, we will teach you the process of sending PDFs using the document feature.
This is done by using WhatsApp web or computer app. For more, follow the steps below:
1. Browse web.whatsapp.com on your desktop or laptop browser. Your account will automatically open with a chat list if you have logged in before.
2. Select the chat from the conversation with whom you wish to share the file. Now, you will see the conversation list with that person.
3. Click on the paperclip icon from the left side of typing bar. Various media and file icons appear vertically.
4. Select “Documents” from there. Your files will appear on display.
5. Choose a PDF that you want to share with your friend.
You are allowed to choose the files as more as you want at a time. The chosen document will be visible on the screen with a first-page preview. You can also add more files by clicking the “+” sign.
6. Then click the “Send” icon to share.
Finally, you have shared the PDF document with the desired person on WhatsApp.
By following the steps mentioned above, you can easily share documents with your friends on WhatsApp.
Method 2: Send PDF Using the Drag and Drop Feature
WhatsApp has a drag-and-drop feature to send photos, files, and videos. You can send a PDF by dragging the document to the chat screen.
You need to drag the document from the file explorer and drop it into the chat where you want to share it.
For this, you need to follow the following step-by-step guide, which will lead you in an easier way:
1. Open the chat screen of a friend on your PC with whom you want to share a file.
2. Go to file explorer from your desktop and select the PDF file you want to share.
3. Drag the document by left-clicking on the mouse continuously until you drop it inside the chat border. Now, you can see selected documents with previews.
4. Click on the “Send” icon if you are all done and sure about the file.
If you want to add more documents, click the “+” option or drag and drop from your computer.
This is the easy way from where you can send PDFs by two methods using a Web or Desktop app. We hope you learn the process and will be able to share the file yourself.
How Can I Send Multiple PDF Files at Once?
It is possible to send multiple PDF files at once using a smartphone, desktop, or web app.
While sending the file from any device, select several documents at once. Or, Click the “+” sign. You can also use the drag-and-drop feature on desktop and web versions.
From WhatsApp documents, click and hold on every file you want to share and tap send to share all PDFs with recipients. If you enable backup to Google Drive, check out the exact location of your backup file.
Why Can’t I Send PDF via Whatsapp?
Sometimes you may be unable to send PDFs via Whatsapp. There may exist many reasons behind this. You have to fulfill every requirement of the app to attach files from it.
Some of the reasons why you cannot send or attach PDFs are given below.
1. Your PDF might exceed 100MB.
2. You might not update to the latest version of the app.
3. It Might be the wrong file format that can’t send through Whatsapp.
Hope you are clear about why you can not send PDFs in WhatsApp and the requirements for sending.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: Yes, Whatsapp does not accept more than 100 MB of files. To send larger files in it, you have to compress the document. Another option is first to upload the file to Google Drive or Dropbox and create a shareable link for the file, then send that link to your friend.
A: No, the receiver should have a PDF reader installed on their mobile device. Without one, the mobile device will not support viewing PDF documents. But you do not need to install it on a computer.
A: Yes, you can select a maximum of five contacts at once, no matter whether you are using a mobile or web app.
A: Yes, it is possible to send a password-protected PDF via Whatsapp, but you have to add the password before sending it. It is quite secure to set passwords on your documents.
A: In web apps, you can view the first page of a PDF, where you can confirm whether you have to send it or not. But in mobile apps, you can not view even the first page after selecting the document.
Bottom Line
Sending PDFs through WhatsApp is a great way to share documents without decreasing the quality of the text and graphics.
It is highly preferable because it does not compromise the quality of the text. Besides this, you can share any media, files, location, and contacts.
One disadvantage is that you cannot share PDFs with more than five contacts at a single time.
To prevent sharing documents by others, enable fingerprint in Whatsapp to secure your folders from being transferred.
