How to send and share PDFs to different devices.

Most of us these days have different devices that we use for different things. But there are also often occasions when you need to send and share files to your different devices. You may want to view something on a bigger screen, have access to a file when you’re out and about, or even just use another device to keep a backup copy. Because PDFs are compatible with any operating system, it’s easy to share them with your other devices. Read on to learn ways you can share PDFs between devices.

What you’ll learn

• How it’s done – the different methods to share files across devices
• Sending PDF files between computers and phones
• Scanning to PDF from your phone
• Sending a PDF file to a Kindle device
• Using Adobe Acrobat to send files
• Tips for sending and sharing PDF files between devices

How it’s done - the different methods you can use to share PDF files across devices.

There are several ways you can share files between different devices. What you choose will depend on the devices and operating systems you want to share files between and your connectivity.

Methods used to share files between devices include —

• Cloud storage services.
  Cloud storage services, such as Adobe Document Cloud, can be used to access your files from different devices. So long as you have an internet connection, you can then access your PDF files from any device. You can also ensure your files are synchronized, meaning if you update or change a PDF on one device, the changes will be there when you open it on another device. It’s also possible to share files with others via cloud storage via links and email.

• Email attachments.
  Email can be used to share files across devices. Simply attach your PDF file to an email to yourself, and open and access the email from another device. You can do this from your email application or directly within an Adobe Acrobat application.

• Bluetooth or Wi-Fi direct transfer.
  Many applications and devices include options to directly transfer and share files to nearby devices using wireless Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. You pair your devices, which establishes a secure wireless connection to transfer your files.

• File transfer apps.
  There are various apps available for smartphones and computers that facilitate file transfers between devices. These apps often use Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or create a local network to transfer files between your devices.

• USB drives.
  USB drives are commonly used for transferring files between devices with USB ports. USB OTG (On-The-Go) adapters are also available to connect USB drives to smartphones. You transfer files by copying them to a USB drive and then connecting the drive to the other device.

• Network file sharing.
  Local networks can be set up to share files on an office or home network between computers and devices. You enable the ability to access and share files on your network from your different devices.

Sending PDF files between phones and computers.

Portable document format (PDF) files are compatible with about every operating system there is. That’s why Adobe invented them. We have partnerships with product and service providers to ensure you quickly and easily share PDF files to and from —

• Android phones
• iPhones
• iPads
• Internet browsers
• Windows computers
• Chromebooks
• Mac computers
• Other cloud storage services

How to send a PDF to a Kindle device.

Kindles have screens that are designed to make electronic documents easy to read — whether you’re reading a PDF e-book, a research report, a manual, or any other type of PDF document. They’re also great if you’re catching up on reading outside in brighter daylight.

There are a few ways to send PDFs to a Kindle device.

1. By email.

   • Use your Kindle’s email address to email the PDF to your Kindle.
   • Re-sync your Kindle to update it with your PDF file.

2. By USB.

   • Connect your Kindle to your computer or device via a USB data transfer cable.
   • Transfer your PDF file to your Kindle.

3. Via the Send to Kindle App.

   • Download and install the Send to Kindle application to your device.
   • Drag and drop your PDF file into the Send to Kindle application.

How to use Adobe Acrobat to send files.

Whichever Adobe Acrobat application(s) you have, you can use it to send files to access from other devices. This includes —

• The free Adobe Acrobat Reader for your phone computer for free.
• Adobe Acrobat Online web-based services and PDF tools accessed from a browser.
• Adobe Acrobat Standard downloaded to your computer or phone.
• Adobe Acrobat Pro downloaded to your computer or phone.

To share and send files from Adobe Acrobat, simply —

1. Open Adobe Acrobat.
2. In your documents, click on a PDF file or create and save a new one.
3. From the top right-hand corner, choose to save your PDF to your cloud storage; or
4. Click on the share button to email your PDF file as a link or an attachment.

Scan to PDF and send from your phone.

Do you have paper documents you want to put into PDF and share across devices? Or even a copy of a receipt, or a whiteboard diagram you need to capture while you’re on the go? Check out the free Adobe Scan mobile app. There are various pre-set options in the Adobe Scan mobile app to convert quickly and easily what’s on paper to PDF and/or image files. The app uses the Adobe Document Cloud to store your files.

You simply need to —

1. Download and install the free Adobe Scan mobile app to your smartphone.
2. Scan and save your paper document to a PDF or image file.
3. Log into your free account with Adobe Acrobat Online to access your file from any device with an internet connection.

Tips for sending and sharing PDF files between devices.

Some tips for sharing and sending files between devices include —

• Convert to PDF.
  If your document isn’t already a PDF, you can easily convert files to PDF online and within an Adobe Acrobat application.

• Save space.
  If you want to save on storage space or ensure your PDF file size sends quickly and easily, be sure to compress your PDF files before sending.

• Set security.
  Be mindful of security issues when sharing PDF files between devices. If your PDF has content you don’t want others to see, or you want to ensure others can’t change the contents, use PDF password protection.

Related content.

We’ve got more articles to explore to help you share and send PDF files. Just a few of these include—

• PDF security: Protect your sensitive content and information
• Cloud PDF storage and file sharing — Access documents anywhere, anytime
• How to scan receipts to PDF