Sharing a PDF file during a Zoom meeting is a great way to keep your audience engaged and focused. Whether you are leading a team discussion, running a class, or presenting a proposal, showing a file can help you explain ideas clearly and visually.
In this guide, you will learn how to share a PDF file by screen sharing, Zoomchat, or a cloud link. We will also walk you through common issues, like when the file will not open or participants cannot see your screen, and how to fix them quickly.
Can You Share a PDF in a Zoom Meeting?
Yes, you can share a PDF in a Zoom meeting through the in-meeting chat or by sharing your screen.
For the former approach, it is possible to send your file to all participants, to one participant, or to specific predefined groups. To do this, you need the Zoom desktop client version (Windows: 4.6.10 or higher; macOS: 4.6.10 or higher) with in-meeting file transfer enabled.
For the latter approach, save the PDF you want to share on your device or on a cloud platform like Google Drive or OneDrive with proper sharing permissions, then open it while using Zoom’s screen sharing feature.
If you are the host or co-host of the Zoom meeting, you are automatically allowed to share your screen. If you are a participant, you will need to ask the host to enable screen sharing for you.
How to Share a PDF on a Zoom Meeting: 3 Methods Explained
Knowing how to share a PDF on a Zoom meeting is important for educators, business professionals, freelancers, students, and remote teams whose work often involves reviewing or distributing files in real time. It supports effective communication and efficient collaboration. There are three ways to do it:
#1. Share a PDF via Screen Share
You can screen share a PDF on Zoom by following these steps:
- Tune into your Zoom meeting.
- Open the PDF that you want to share.
- Click Share in the toolbar at the bottom.
After you click Share, you can customize your sharing settings in the Screens tab by:
- Choosing whether you want to share your entire screen or specific windows in Zoom.
- Setting the screen or window you want to share and adjusting the settings.
- Ticking the boxes under Share options as needed.
- Previewing what the shared screen will look like under Layouts.
This method is ideal when you want to guide others through the file in real time without requiring them to open it on their own devices.
Also, you can choose the Documents tab instead of Screens tab to screen share a PDF file from:
- Whiteboard, Docs, or Notes under Zoom, or
- Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, Microsoft SharePoint, Box, or Dropbox under Document repositories
The meeting controls will turn into a floating toolbar once you start sharing your screen; you can move it wherever you like.
If you want to allow other participants to share their screens, click the dropdown next to Share in the toolbar.
Choose Multiple participants can share simultaneously. You can select Advanced sharing options as well and then a Zoom host settings window will pop up.
In the pop-up window you can decide who can share and who can start sharing when someone else is sharing.
#2. Send a PDF via Zoom Chat
You can send a PDF during a meeting through the Zoom chat if you want your participants to be able to access the file on their own device. To do this, you need to:
- Tune into your Zoom meeting.
- Click Chat in the toolbar at the bottom; a chat panel will appear on the right.
- Click the File icon at the bottom of the chat panel.
- Click on where your PDF is stored: Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, Box, Microsoft SharePoint, or Your computer.
- Choose your PDF; it will appear like this:
- Click the Send icon, shaped like an arrow, to share the file with your meeting participants.
If your PDF is large, it will take a few seconds to load.
When you see the green Check icon, your PDF has been sent successfully.
Other participants in the meeting can open your PDF by clicking on it. They can also select the three dots icon (...) and choose Open file, Save as, or Show in finder.
#3. Upload PDF to Cloud and Share Link
You can upload a PDF to a cloud platform, like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive, and share the link to it in the Zoom chat for others to view your PDF in the meeting.
Google Drive
- Open Google Drive and upload your PDF.
- Click + New or drag and drop the file in.
- Click on your PDF and select Share.
- Set your share settings to Anyone with the link and choose the Role permissions: Viewer, Commenter, or Editor by clicking the dropdown next to Viewer.
- Share the Google Drive link in the Zoom chat.
Dropbox
- Upload your PDF by dragging and dropping it in or using the Upload or drop button.
- Select Share.
- Click Copy link.
- Select Manage next to Anyone with this link can view the file to change access settings.
- Customize your sharing settings.
- Click Copy link.
- Send the Dropbox link to other meeting participants via the chat panel on Zoom.
OneDrive
- Upload your PDF using the Create or drop button or by dragging and dropping it in.
- Select My files and click on your PDF.
- Choose Copy link.
- Select Settings to customize the sharing permissions.
- Click Anyone, Only people with existing access, or People you choose under The link works for and select Apply.
- Share the OneDrive link in the Zoom chat.
This method works well when the PDF is meant to be accessed independently. It suits files that participants may want to explore on their own, such as handouts, worksheets, or an interactive PDF presentation.
Troubleshooting PDF File Sharing on Zoom
You may need to troubleshoot file sharing on Zoom if your PDF does not upload in the chat, participants cannot see the shared screen, or they are unable to open or access the file. Let’s take a closer look at each scenario.
#1. PDF Will Not Upload in Zoom Chat
Your PDF might not upload in the Zoom chat because the file is too large. Compress the PDF or split it into multiple files before re-uploading. If uploading still fails, upload your PDF to Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive and share the viewable link in the Zoom chat.
If the File icon does not appear at all in the chat panel, the Zoom host has likely disabled file sharing. Ask them to enable it by clicking the arrow next to Share in the toolbar > Advanced sharing options > All participants under Who can share?
If there is no place to type in your Zoom chat, the setting is likely set to No one under Participant can chat with. Change it to Everyone or "Everyone and anyone directly by clicking the three dots icon (...) at the top-right corner of the chat panel.
#2. Participants Cannot See the Shared PDF
If attendees cannot see your screen or the PDF content, check your screen sharing permissions. Also, make sure you have selected the correct window that displays your PDF.
If you accidentally share a different window, participants will not be able to see the file. If the text appears too small, zoom in on the PDF before you begin sharing.
#3. Participants Cannot Open or Access the File
When participants say they cannot open the PDF, there are a few things to check.
First, review the file's sharing permissions. If you are using a link, ensure it is set to Anyone with the link can view to avoid sign-in issues. Also, don’t use shortened or custom URLs, as these may be blocked by Zoom or flagged by security filters.
You should also see whether the PDF is password protected. If it is, either remove the password before sharing or verify all participants have the correct one.
In some cases, the issue may be on the participant’s end, especially if they are using an older version of Zoom or joining from a mobile device. Suggest they update their Zoom, check their Internet connection, or temporarily disable any blockers.
Get Your PDF Meeting-Ready with PDF.net
Before sharing a PDF in your Zoom meeting, take a moment to fine-tune it with PDF.net. You can rearrange pages to get everything in the right order or remove ones you no longer need.
If you want to edit the text, you can type in the PDF directly and add highlights and annotations. For formatting, you can also change fonts and add page numbers. Small tweaks can make a big difference in how your PDF is received. With these tools, your PDF will be polished, professional, and ready to share confidently in any meeting.
Final Thoughts
Sharing a PDF file on a Zoom meeting is simple once you know your options. You can use screen share to present your PDF in real time, or upload it to the chat so participants can download a copy.
If the file is hosted on the cloud, just drop a shareable link in the chat. Each method suits different needs; choose the right approach and prepare your file with PDF.net before the Zoom meeting for a smoother experience.
How to Share a PDF File on a Zoom Meeting FAQs
#1. Can I annotate a PDF in Zoom while sharing it?
Yes, you can annotate a PDF in Zoom while sharing it by clicking Annotate in the floating toolbar that appears after you have shared your screen. However, note that annotations are temporary and will not save to the original PDF.
#2. Why can’t I upload a PDF in Zoom chat?
You cannot upload a PDF in the Zoom chat because of file size restrictions (1GB), network issues, or administrator limitations. Try compressing the PDF, sharing via links from cloud storage, or using screen sharing instead.
#3. Does Zoom compress the file?
Zoom does not compress files transferred through chat. The maximum supported file size for transfer is 1 GB, and the files are transferred as-is without any compression or quality reduction. If you want to compress your PDF, use PDF.net’s compression tool.
#4. Can I share a PDF from Google Drive in Zoom?
Yes, you can share a PDF from Google Drive in Zoom. Upload the PDF to Google Drive, set the sharing permissions to allow access, then copy and paste the shareable link into the Zoom chat. Participants can view or download the file from there.
#5. Can participants view the PDF on mobile?
Yes, participants can view the PDF on mobile. However, some may have trouble opening it in-app, especially if using older Zoom versions. If that happens, they can open the PDF after the meeting or update their Zoom application for better compatibility.
#6. How to attach a document to a Zoom meeting invite?
Zoom itself does not support attaching files to invites. Instead, upload the PDF to a cloud service and paste the link into your calendar invite description (Google Calendar, Outlook, etc.).