WordPress Tip: Adding a PDF Link into a WordPress Post

It is quite simple to add a PDF (or other file for download) into a WordPress post or page, however, sometimes we forget exactly how to do it in the way that we want (i.e. with the correct link text and linking to the right place!).

How to Add PDF into WP

The following steps will see that you get a PDF (or other document / file for download) added into your WordPress post or page in the way that works:

  1. Click “Add Media” (at the top left of the visual editor screen);
  2. Click “Upload Files” under the “Insert Media” section;
  3. Select and Upload your PDF (or other) document;
  4. Once uploaded, at the right of the screen, you’ll have several boxes;
  5. Under “title” put the text you’d like to have linked to your document;
  6. Make sure under “Attachment Options” you have Link to > “Media File” selected; then
  7. Click “Insert into Post”

Other Ways to Add PDFs

Using Plugins

There are a few PDF plugins, but one we have used before and like (because it offers some nice options for categorizing downloads to be used in “other places” than just the current post, is the following plugin, freely downloadable from the official WordPress repository:

Any Questions? Leave a comment

Leave a comment below if you have questions about this process.

2 thoughts on “WordPress Tip: Adding a PDF Link into a WordPress Post”

  1. I am trying to a PDF within a post (so that you don’t have to click twice to see the contents). Please advise on how to do that; thank you!

    Reply
    • Hi Stacey,

      There’s a nifty plugin that can help with this – Shortcodes Ultimate – you can then use a shortcode to display a PDF file within a WordPress post. Feel free to ask if you cannot get the plugin working for your purposes (plugin is in WP plugin repository – I would link to it, but am on a deadline right now!).

      Reply

Leave a comment

No links of any kind allowed in comments - if you add any links, your comment will automatically be deleted.