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Quickly Save PDF’s from the Web to Your iPad

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I recently published a somewhat cumbersome how-to that will help you download PDF’s from the internet without realizing that there is an easier way. When installed, GoodReader will automatically download a PDF from Safari when you insert a g in the address field in Safari. Follow the instructions below so that you too can quickly download PDF’s from the internet to your iPad.

Do you know of other ways to download PDF’s from the web to your iPad? Please share them below.

Do you own an iPad? You might want to look into protecting your investment with invisibleSHIELD Quickly Save PDFs from the Web to Your iPad screen protectors. If you need any help or have questions please post them below.

If you are looking for more iPad how-to’s, tips, and help visit our iPad page.

Before you begin, locate the PDF you wish to download to your iPad and open it in Safari.

IMG 0293 thumb1 Quickly Save PDFs from the Web to Your iPad

(click on the images to enlarge)

1.Tap and hold until the cursor is located at the beginning of the web address in Safari.

2.Type the letter g, so if the web address is http://www… it should be ghttp://www…

3. Tap Go on the on-screen keyboard.

IMG 0294 thumb1 Quickly Save PDFs from the Web to Your iPad

Safari will Close and GoodReader will automatically open.

IMG 0295 thumb1 Quickly Save PDFs from the Web to Your iPad

4. The prompt will notify you that the download has started, tap OK to continue.

IMG 0296 thumb1 Quickly Save PDFs from the Web to Your iPad

5. Tap on the file you just downloaded to open.

This should work for all files supported by GoodReader as long as you have the files direct URL/address.

File types supported by GoodReader:

  • MS Office – .doc, .ppt, .xls and more
  • iWork’08/’09
  • HTML and Safari webarchives
  • High resolution images
  • It even does audio and video!
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Originally posted Apr 13, 2010

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  • Name

    Awesome – Thank You!

  • Anna

    This might be the most helpful iPad tip I have seen so far!

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gil

    Anna,

    Thanks for the compliments, I hope you find the other iPad tips in http://www.gilsmethod.com/ipad useful as well.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gil

    Anna,

    Thanks for the compliments, I hope you find the other iPad tips in http://www.gilsmethod.com/ipad useful as well.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gil

    Anna,

    Thanks for the compliments, I hope you find the other iPad tips in http://www.gilsmethod.com/ipad useful as well.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gil

    Anna,

    Thanks for the compliments, I hope you find the other iPad tips in http://www.gilsmethod.com/ipad useful as well.

  • Sharoma

    Somehow it does not want to work for https protocol for me — Safari comes back with error — Cannot open the address

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Sharoma,

    I just tried it myself and you are correct, I tried downloading a PDF and received the same error. I suggest sending a message to the developer – http://goodreader.net/support.php

    If enough people send them emails maybe they’ll address the bug/issue. Thanks for catching that.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Sharoma,

    I just tried it myself and you are correct, I tried downloading a PDF and received the same error. I suggest sending a message to the developer – http://goodreader.net/support.php

    If enough people send them emails maybe they’ll address the bug/issue. Thanks for catching that.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Sharoma,

    I just tried it myself and you are correct, I tried downloading a PDF and received the same error. I suggest sending a message to the developer – http://goodreader.net/support.php

    If enough people send them emails maybe they’ll address the bug/issue. Thanks for catching that.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Sharoma,

    I just tried it myself and you are correct, I tried downloading a PDF and received the same error. I suggest sending a message to the developer – http://goodreader.net/support.php

    If enough people send them emails maybe they’ll address the bug/issue. Thanks for catching that.

  • Rouge

    I don’t have 3GS. Can you view your downloaded PDF docs when you are not on line with this app.

  • Paul

    I go along with Anna. Most useful iPad tip I’ve found so far.

  • Thaniel

    Another way, email the PDF to the account associated with te iPad. Open the email and hold down the icon for the PDF file. It will ask if it should open in iBooks or something else. Choose open in iBooks. From then on the PDF is avail in iBooks even off line

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Rouge,

    Once they are downloaded to the iPad, they are available to view offline. Hope this answers your question. Have a great day.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Rouge,

    Once they are downloaded to the iPad, they are available to view offline. Hope this answers your question. Have a great day.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Rouge,

    Once they are downloaded to the iPad, they are available to view offline. Hope this answers your question. Have a great day.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Rouge,

    Once they are downloaded to the iPad, they are available to view offline. Hope this answers your question. Have a great day.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Paul,

    Thanks and I’m glad that you have found it useful. Make sure to check back as I’m always adding new content to the site.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Paul,

    Thanks and I’m glad that you have found it useful. Make sure to check back as I’m always adding new content to the site.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Paul,

    Thanks and I’m glad that you have found it useful. Make sure to check back as I’m always adding new content to the site.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Paul,

    Thanks and I’m glad that you have found it useful. Make sure to check back as I’m always adding new content to the site.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Thaniel,

    Thanks for the useful tip.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Thaniel,

    Thanks for the useful tip.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Thaniel,

    Thanks for the useful tip.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    Thaniel,

    Thanks for the useful tip.

  • Steve

    Great material. I ditched GoodReader for Readdle Docs. It is a much cleaner app and i can annotate all PDFs.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    I would really like the ability to annotate PDF’s on the iPad…I guess I’ll have to take a look at the Readdle Docs app. Thanks for the tip.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    I would really like the ability to annotate PDF’s on the iPad…I guess I’ll have to take a look at the Readdle Docs app. Thanks for the tip.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    I would really like the ability to annotate PDF’s on the iPad…I guess I’ll have to take a look at the Readdle Docs app. Thanks for the tip.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    I would really like the ability to annotate PDF’s on the iPad…I guess I’ll have to take a look at the Readdle Docs app. Thanks for the tip.

  • New user

    I have a 6.2MB sized PDF file that keeps shutting down Goodreader each time i try to open it. Can you give any inputs on these issues?

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    New User,

    Do you have the latest version of GoodReader? Are you able to open the PDF in another application like iBooks, DropBox, or Box.net? Please let me know. I would also try rebooting the iPad.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    New User,

    Do you have the latest version of GoodReader? Are you able to open the PDF in another application like iBooks, DropBox, or Box.net? Please let me know. I would also try rebooting the iPad.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    New User,

    Do you have the latest version of GoodReader? Are you able to open the PDF in another application like iBooks, DropBox, or Box.net? Please let me know. I would also try rebooting the iPad.

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    New User,

    Do you have the latest version of GoodReader? Are you able to open the PDF in another application like iBooks, DropBox, or Box.net? Please let me know. I would also try rebooting the iPad.

  • Harry

    what if the url requires authentication and cookies such as that of a university proxy?

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    It may not work. Have you tried it?

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    It may not work. Have you tried it?

  • http://www.gilsmethod.com Gilberto J Perera

    It may not work. Have you tried it?

  • Davidoshry

    This works as long as you dont need to log on to the site that you are trying to download the file from.
    As ‘goodreader’ is essentially a different browser, it has different cookies and therefore need to log on again, so download fails.

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