Manage, edit and save PDFs on an iPad

Manage PDFs on an iPad

Apple has transformed the iPad into a document management powerhouse, especially for PDFs. Its portability, responsive touchscreen and high-resolution screen make it an ideal device for reading, annotating and organizing PDFs in different contexts.

The company's constant updates in iPadOS 17 have further improved PDF management. With the latest iPadOS 17 updates, the iPad now uses machine learning to identify fields in PDFs. The Notes app now displays PDFs at full size, improving readability and navigation.

If you use the iPad for work, the new live collaboration feature is in the I work apps significantly improves team projects. You can edit the same PDF simultaneously with colleagues, which is useful during brainstorming sessions or when immediate feedback is essential.

Moreover, the Apple pencil enhances the functionality of the iPad, making it even more effective for annotating, signing, and editing PDFs. You can sketch or add notes directly on these documents, which is especially useful for detailed feedback or creative markup.

The iPad offers a range of apps for saving PDFs, giving users the freedom to choose the best storage solution. First, here are the Apple apps that can manage these files.

Apple Books isn't just for your latest novel or audiobook; it can also handle PDFs. One advantage is its user-friendly interface, which makes reading and organizing PDFs similar to handling ebooks.

Books and PDFs are displayed in neat columns, making them visually appealing and easy to navigate. Another important advantage is the synchronization between all devices used iCloudso that you always have your documents at hand.

PDFs in Apple Books

However, Apple Books is designed primarily for reading and not for extensive file management. Although you can organize documents into collections, it can end up being a long, cluttered list where collections take the place of folders.

Apple Books is a good starting point for managing PDFs on your iPad because it's simple and accessible. Pre-installed on all iPads, it offers ease of use thanks to its intuitive interface and superior display, making reading PDFs a pleasant experience. Of iCloud Thanks to the integration, every PDF added to Apple Books is synced across all Apple devices, providing seamless continuity.

However, another app can go a little further with tags, folders and subfolders. This is also built into Apple devices as standard and is called Apple Notes.

Apple Notes lets you integrate PDFs directly into your notes, which can be useful for research or project planning. You can annotate PDFs in your notes and search your documents as if they were part of the note.

The PDF integration can be a powerful tool for those who want to merge their documents with comments or additional information.

Use Apple Notes for PDFs

As with Apple Books, the disadvantage of Apple Notes lies in its organizational limitations. Notes is primarily a word processing app, so while it can store PDFs, managing numerous files can quickly become cumbersome.

Finding specific PDFs among a sea of ​​notes can be a challenge when you're dealing with a lot of documents. However, some options include creating PDF-specific folders and using the search bar.

The Files app is Apple's answer to a comprehensive file management system on iPadOS. It supports not only PDFs but also several other file types.

The app can open PDFs itself, although other file types often require a third-party app. For example, although Files can store '.numbers' files, you need the Numbers app to open them.

Unlike Apple Books and Apple Notes, the Files app offers detailed organizational tools such as folders, tags, and favorites, which can simplify the management of many documents. Additionally, Files integrates with other cloud services such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive.

Process PDFs into files

Despite its versatility, the Files app can be less intuitive. It serves as a file management system that allows you to browse, search, and organize different file types from multiple sources, which may overwhelm some users.

Another potential downside is that while it offers more advanced file management capabilities, it doesn't improve the reading experience the way Apple Books does.

First, LiquidText is a powerful PDF management app that helps you extract important information from PDFs and organize them into a workspace for better analysis and review. With features like comparing multiple documents, intuitive annotation tools, and the ability to link and highlight text, LiquidText improves the productivity of students, researchers, and professionals.

The touch-friendly interface on the iPad makes it easy to manipulate and connect different pieces of information, providing a dynamic and interactive way to manage PDFs. Liquidtext is available for download for free with in-app purchases, including a one-time lifetime purchase for $30, or a subscription starting at $10/month.

Next, PDF Expert by Readdle is a versatile app designed for PDF management. It offers a wide range of features, including annotation tools, form filling, merging documents, and organizing with folders and tags.

PDF Expert's interface enables reading, editing, and signing of PDFs, making it an essential tool for professionals who handle numerous documents. Moreover, it can be integrated with cloud storage services. It is available for download for free with in-app purchases, starting at around $7/month.

Managing PDFs on an iPad offers a variety of options tailored to different needs, from the intuitive interface of Apple Books to the organizational tools of Apple Notes. For those who need even more advanced features, third-party apps provide powerful solutions for detailed annotation, document comparison, and seamless integration with cloud services.

By choosing the right app for your workflow, you can transform your iPad into a powerful tool for managing PDFs efficiently and effectively.