Embed PDF files on Google Drive in Shopify - No plugin needed.

Embedding PDF files from Google Drive into your Shopify website is a good way to share PDF products like digital planners, design templates, digital journal etc directly with your customers.

This can be done easily without Shopify plugin or coding knowledge. Just follow the step-by-step guide below.

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Step-by-step: Embed PDF on Google Drive in Shopify

👉 Tips: Before uploading your PDF file to Google Drive, use an online PDF editor like iLovePDF to update your PDF metadata and reduce your file size without losing quality. This would help your PDF files load much faster.

1. Change file access to "Anyone with the link".

In Google Drive, open the file Share settings of your PDF file. Make sure you change the access option to "Anyone with the link" and click Done.

This is important, because otherwise viewers will see a 403 error at the file embed area instead of the PDF file itself.

You can access the Share setting either via the right click menu (folder view), or click on the top right 3 dots menu icon.

2. Double click the PDF file in Google Drive to Preview it.

3. Select "Open in new window" option from the top right menu.

Click on the 3 dots menu icon at the top right, then select the "Open in new window" option.

4. Select "Embed item..." from the top right action menu

The PDF file will open in a new browser tab.

Click again on the 3 dots menu icon, and select the "Embed file..." option.

5. Copy the embed code

A popup will appear with the PDF's HTML embed code. Copy the full embed code.

6. Paste the embed code in Shopify content editor (HTML view)

Go to the content editor in your Shopify.

Make sure you have switched to HTML view by click on the </> icon. Paste the embed code and click Save.

Your PDF embed will now appear on the Shopify webpage and your customers will be able to see it.

Where can you embed PDF in Shopify?

Depending on what PDF documents you want to embed, Shopify is flexible enough to let you embed the PDF file at different areas of your Shopify website.

Embed PDF in Shopify homepage

To embed PDF in your Shopify homepage from Google Drive, you need to be on a OS2.0 theme.

1. Go to Sales Channel > Online Store > Theme
2. Click on "Customise"
3. Add a Custom Liquid block
4. Paste the PDF embed code and save.

Embed PDF in Shopify product description

Go to the product details on your Shopify admin, click on the </> icon to enable HTML view for your content editor. Paste the PDF embed code in.

Embed PDF in Shopify collection page

Go to the collection details on your Shopify admin, click on the </> icon to enable HTML view for your content editor. Paste the PDF embed code in.

Embed PDF in Shopify content page

Open the content page editor on your Shopify admin, click on the </> icon to enable HTML view for your content editor. Paste the PDF embed code in.

Embed PDF in Shopify blog article

Open the blog article editor on your Shopify admin, click on the </> icon to enable HTML view for your content editor. Paste the PDF embed code in.

Conclusion

If you want to share your PDF materials with your customers on Shopify; it is easy and convenient to just embed a Google Drive hosted PDF file on your Shopify website.

The best of all is you don't need any Shopify plugin to achieve this!

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