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  1. Home
  2. Plugins
  3. Pdf
  4. Vanilla PDF Embed
Vanilla PDF Embed icon

Vanilla PDF Embed

Embeds PDFs in your pages and posts, without using JS.

By Mike Doherty·Pdf·Free
4.6(32 reviews)
·3.0K+ active installs·Updated 9 years ago
DownloadVisit HomepageCompare

As of April 2026, Vanilla PDF Embed is a WordPress pdf plugin with 3.0K+ active installations and a 4.6/5 rating from 32 reviews. It has been downloaded 99K+ times in total. Requires WordPress 3.0.1+ and PHP false+. Available on WordPress.org since 2013. Last updated 9 years ago — may have compatibility concerns. Download volume is stable this week. Top alternative: PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for….

4.6/532 reviews
3.0K+active installs
99K+total downloads
13 yearssince 2013

Overview

Basic use

To embed a PDF you’ve uploaded to your WordPress site’s media
library, simply put the URL for the attachment page in your
post on its own line. The PDF will be embedded with the
default settings at that location, as if it were using oEmbed.

Examples:

Post short URL:

http://localhost/?p=9

Attachment default URL:

http://localhost/?attachment_id=9

Attachment pretty URL:

http://localhost/test/report1/

Media direct URL:

Click to access report1.pdf

This doesn’t work for PDFs hosted on other websites, or if you
need to change the parameters.

Using the [pdf] shorttag

If the PDF isn’t in your WordPress site’s media library, or if
you want to customize any parameters for the embed, then use
the [pdf]...[/pdf] shorttag. Between the tags, you’ll p…

Read full description on WordPress.org

Screenshots

Ratings & Reviews

4.632 reviews
5 ★
27
4 ★
2
3 ★
0
2 ★
1
1 ★
2

Recent Reviews

Nice
by Martin Sauter·6 years ago

Converts the URL of a PDF document automatically in to an embedded PDF. Very easy to use, very nice result.

Very easy to use
by indianplayschools·7 years ago

Just paste the link to pdf file on the same domain and you can view it just as pdf and not a link. This is what I was looking for. The best plugin to view the pdf. You can download and print too.
Thank you very much

Does not embed PDF
by clasherplayer·7 years ago

There was no embedding; only the link to the PDF file was placed. I think that this plugin has not been updated as of the time of writing.

Doesn't work on Latest Chrome or Firefox
by joey4040·9 years ago·1 reply

Doesn’t work on Latest Chrome or Firefox

Doesn't embed Pdf
by swampy·9 years ago·1 reply

Doesn’t embed it all, just inserts a link to download the pdf

Download Trends

Today: 6Yesterday: 11This week: 43Period total: 2K

Compatibility

WordPress3.0.1+ requiredTested up to 4.5.0
PHPfalse+ required

Version Adoption

v0.0
100.0%

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Frequently Asked Questions

Changelog

0.0.8

  • Add the ability to set PDF open params
View full changelog on WordPress.org

Contributors

Mike DohertyMike Doherty
Plugin Info
Version
0.0.8
Last Updated
Nov 8, 2016
WP Requires
3.0.1+
Tested Up To
4.5.0
PHP Requires
false+
Active Installs
3.0K+
Downloads
99K+
Added
Dec 7, 2013
Business
Free

Tags

pdfembed

Developer

M
Mike Doherty
1 plugins0.0M+ total installs
View all plugins →

Quick Compare

Vanilla PDF Embed vs PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for…→Vanilla PDF Embed vs PDF Embedder→Vanilla PDF Embed vs Embed PDF Viewer→

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Analysis and metrics by PluginSift.