Find out how to view a PDF you received on WhatsApp on your computer and also make basic edits to it, all without downloading the file or opening another app.
WhatsApp now supports viewing and editing PDFs directly when you’re using its web version in a browser like Google Chrome.
Additionally, you can make basic edits to the PDF, such as drawing, highlighting text, underlining content, and applying strikethrough formatting.
Note: These are web-based features that are not yet available in the WhatsApp desktop app for macOS or Windows.
View a PDF on WhatsApp Web
- Visit web.whatsapp.com on your computer and use WhatsApp on your iPhone or Android phone to scan the QR code and sign in to your account.
- Go to a chat that sent you a PDF.
- Simply click the PDF, and it will open right there in the same window. As of now, there is no way to open the PDF in a new tab unless you take the old route of downloading it and then opening it in a tab next to web.whatsapp.com.
When you’re viewing a PDF on WhatsApp Web
You’ll notice a top row with several options and a vertical strip in the lower right corner.
Here’s what they do:
Top row:
- Edit PDF: Draw, highlight, underline, and strikethrough in the PDF.
- Search: Find a word or phrase in the PDF.
- Go to messages: Close the PDF view and go back to the chat screen.
- Star: Mark this PDF (i.e., WhatsApp message) with a star so you can find it quickly in the ‘Starred’ section.
- Pin: Stick this PDF to the top of the conversation screen for 24 hours, 7 days, or 30 days.
- React: React to this PDF message with an emoji.
- Forward: Send this PDF to someone else.
- Download: Save this PDF or the edited version locally to your Mac’s Finder or Windows File Explorer.
- Menu: Currently, it only has one option, and that’s to report the sender to WhatsApp in case the message contains something harmful or illegal.
- Close: Exit the PDF preview pane.
Right vertical row:
- Page number: The first one shows the page number you’re on. The bottom one displays the total number of pages. You can click the bottom ‘go to last page’ to jump right to it.
- Navigational arrows: Use them to go to the next page or the previous page.
- Zoom: Use the zoom in and zoom out buttons to get a comfortable look at the PDF pages.
Edit a PDF in WhatsApp Web
It’s as simple as it gets.
Simply open a PDF in WhatsApp Web, click the Edit PDF button at the top, and select a tool: Draw, Highlight, Underline, or Strikethrough.
You can also select text in a PDF here, and the menu with the above options will appear.
After you select a tool, like Draw, you’ll notice additional options to make proper use of this tool.
And if you have used Highlight, Underline, or Strikethrough tools, right-click on the edited text to change the color or delete the effect.
Use the undo and redo buttons to revert or restore a change.
And if you are in the ‘Draw’ tool, use the selection tool (hollow arrow icon) to select a drawing and move it to another spot in the PDF.
Sadly, as of writing, the four tiny squares in the corner of each selection boundary do not seem to allow changing the drawing size.
Once you have finished editing, click Done and then:
- Click the arrow button to download the edited PDF to your computer.
- Or, type a message and click the arrow button at the bottom to send this edited PDF in the same conversation (i.e., to the same person who sent the original PDF).
- Or, use the forward button to send this edited PDF to someone else.
Note: If you need additional editing options, open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat by clicking the Edit PDF button. But note that some editing tools there require a paid Adobe subscription.
Also, new in WhatsApp: