Troubleshooting and FAQ

Troubleshooting and FAQ

Common questions

A PDF on my phone doesn't show up in the app

• The app finds PDFs through Android's media index. A file that was just copied or downloaded may take a moment to appear; pull down to refresh, or reopen the app.
• Check that Hide Hidden Files (Settings) isn't hiding it: files and folders whose names start with a dot are left out when it's on.
• Make sure the app has file access (Android Settings > Apps > PDF Reader Pro > Permissions, or Allow access to manage all files on Android 11 and newer).

A Japanese, Chinese or Korean PDF shows an error

This was fixed in 2.5.0, which bundles the character maps these documents need. Update to the latest version.

Can I edit the text of a PDF?

No. PDF Reader Pro reads, marks up (highlights, signatures) and reorganizes PDFs, but doesn't edit their text.

Where do the tools save their results?

In Documents/PdfReaderPro on your device, unless you choose Overwrite original.

Are my highlights and bookmarks in the PDF file?

Not by default. They're kept in the app, per document. To put highlights into the file, use Save a copy with highlights. Signatures are written into the file or a copy when you save them.

How do I print or share a password-protected PDF?

Open it with its password, then use ••• > Save a copy without the password.

Why can't I merge a password-protected PDF?

Merging needs to read the file freely. Remove the password with Unlock PDF first.

Can I hide the tools and use it only as a reader?

Yes: turn off Show Tools Tab in Settings.

Is there a Play Store or F-Droid version?

Releases are published on GitHub. You can also follow them with Obtainium.

Known limitations

• Very large documents (hundreds of pages or over 100 MB) can scroll and render more slowly. Use the page bubble to move quickly, or split the file with Split PDF.
• Interactive forms with scripts or advanced fields may not be fully interactive.
• Unusual embedded fonts may display with a fallback font.
• Wrong text when searching or copying in some PDFs, often in Indic scripts: the text looks right but search and copy return scrambled characters. This happens when the PDF lacks correct Unicode data for its fonts, and affects every reader. Re-creating the PDF (for example with "Print > Save as PDF" in Chrome) usually fixes it.
• Highlights that came with a file list approximate text in the Highlights panel, since the PDF records where they are but not which words they cover. The highlight itself is drawn exactly.
• Watermarks on rotated pages may be positioned unexpectedly; rotate pages first, then watermark.

The full list is in KNOWN_ISSUES.md.

If the app crashes

The app shows a crash screen instead of closing silently. From there you can:

• Copy details or share the crash report, and
• Report on GitHub, which opens a new issue with the bug form already filled in.

Please add what you were doing when it happened, your Android version and phone model.

Reporting a problem

1. Check the existing issues first.
2. Open a new issue with the bug report form: steps to reproduce, what you expected, what happened, the app version (Settings > About), Android version and device. A screenshot or screen recording helps a lot.

Questions and ideas are welcome in Discussions.