Embedding PDFs in Web Pages: Best Methods Compared

Introduction

Displaying PDF files directly in a web page improves user experience by removing the need for downloads and external viewers. Depending on your needs, you can embed PDFs with native HTML tags, convert them to images or HTML, or use specialized JavaScript libraries for advanced features like annotations and editing.

1. Embedding with Native HTML Elements

The simplest way to embed PDFs is with HTML’s built-in tags.

Using <iframe> (recommended for compatibility)

      <iframe src="sample.pdf" width="100%" height="600px"></iframe>
    

Using <embed>

      <embed src="sample.pdf" type="application/pdf" width="100%" height="600px" />
    

Using <object> (supports fallback content)

      <object data="sample.pdf" type="application/pdf" width="100%" height="600px">
  <p>Your browser doesn’t support PDFs.
    <a href="sample.pdf">Download the file</a>.
  </p>
</object>
    

Comparison Table:

Browser behavior:

• Desktop: All three methods use the built-in PDF viewer.
• Mobile: Varies — Android often downloads, iOS shows only the first page.

2. Converting PDF to Image or HTML

Instead of embedding directly, you can pre-convert PDFs:

• To Images (e.g., via Apache PDFBox)

  • ✅ Works everywhere
  • ❌ Larger files, reduced quality, no search/copy

• To HTML (e.g., pdf2htmlEX)

  • ✅ Acts like a web page
  • ❌ No editing or annotations

This method is good for archives or static display where editing isn’t needed.

3. Embedding with JavaScript Libraries

For full control and advanced features, use JS-based viewers.

Popular Libraries:

• PDF.js – Open-source PDF rendering
• PDFium.js – Rendering engine for lightweight embedding
• Dynamsoft Document Viewer – Built on PDFium, provides UI, annotations, editing

Advantages:

• Consistent UI across browsers
• Full features (edit, annotate, search)
• Can block downloads for security
• Customizable interface

Disadvantages:

• Higher client requirements (JS + processing)
• Larger initial page load
• More complex setup

Best for professional apps requiring advanced PDF workflows.

Summary Table

Conclusion

If you need a quick solution, use <iframe>. For archival or static data, convert PDFs to HTML. For enterprise apps or feature-rich workflows, use libraries like PDF.js or Dynamsoft Document Viewer.

Embedding PDFs is about choosing the right balance between simplicity, performance, and functionality.