What is a PDF Popup? A PDF Popup is a powerful and interactive way to display PDF documents directly within a modal window on your WordPress site. With Instant Popup Builder’s Premium PDF Popup Extension, you can showcase brochures, catalogs, guides, or any other documents to users in a clean, distraction-free viewer—without requiring them to download the file.

Note: The PDF Popup feature is available through a Premium Extension of Instant Popup Builder. Get this Extension.

You may also need to check: How to Install a Single Extension? & How to Activate Your License Key?

Prerequisites

Make sure the PDF Popup extension is installed and activated in your WordPress setup.

Steps to Create a PDF Popup

1. Navigate to PDF Popup Creation Go to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to: Instant Popup > Add New
2. Choose Popup Type Under Choose Popup, select PDF Popup. This will open the PDF popup editor with the relevant settings.
3. Name Your Popup Add a title for internal reference. (This name is not shown to the end user.)
4. Add PDF File You have two options to load your PDF:
   • Upload File (Recommended) – Upload a PDF file directly to your WordPress Media Library.
   • External URL – Add a public link to a PDF file hosted elsewhere. Make sure the file is publicly accessible; otherwise, it may not display.
   Once uploaded or linked, a preview of your PDF will appear beneath the upload section.
5. Save or Publish You can Save as Draft or Publish your popup when ready.

PDF Popup Settings

In the Popup Settings, you can configure:

General Popup Settings:

• Display Rules
• Triggers (e.g., on page load, scroll, click)
• Limitations (e.g., show once per user)
• All other standard popup options.

PDF-Specific Settings:

• Allow Download Adds a download button for users to save the PDF.
• Require Login Restricts access to logged-in users only.
• Show Fullscreen Button Displays a Fullscreen toggle for PDF viewing.
• Show Toolbar Allows users to see browser-native PDF toolbar (print, download, etc.).

  ⚠️ Note: Toolbar behavior may vary depending on the browser.

   

• Minimum Height (% of screen) Sets the minimum height as a percentage of the viewport (default is 75%).
• Height Mode Choose between:
  • Fixed
  • Responsive (uses minimum height %)
• Zoom Level Initial zoom level of the PDF (default: 100%).
• Auto Open First Page Set which page the viewer opens first (default is Page 1).

Final Step: Activate the Popup

After publishing, go to Instant Popups > All Popups and toggle ON your new popup to make it live for users.