Updated on June 6, 2026easy, ~1 min
How to Embed a PDF in Notion
To embed a PDF in Notion, type /pdf on any page, press Enter, and either upload the file or paste a public PDF link, then click Embed. Notion renders an inline, scrollable viewer so readers can page through the document without downloading it. For files hosted on Google Drive or a website, paste the public link instead of uploading.
Why embed a PDF in Notion?
- Keep a contract, brief, or handbook readable right on the page.
- Avoid forcing readers to download files just to glance at them.
- Centralise reference PDFs inside the workspace that uses them.
How to embed a PDF in Notion
Add a PDF block
On any Notion page, type /pdf and press Enter to insert a PDF block.
Upload or link the file
Either upload the PDF from your device, or choose "Embed link" and paste a public PDF URL (for example a Google Drive share link set to "anyone with the link").
Resize the viewer
Drag the handles to set a comfortable reading height. Readers can scroll through pages inside the block.
Good to know
- Linked PDFs must be publicly accessible, or the viewer shows a permission error.
- Very large PDFs can be slow to load inside the inline viewer.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between uploading and linking a PDF in Notion?
Uploading stores the file in Notion and works offline-ish within the app; linking keeps the file at its source (like Google Drive) and shows the latest version, but requires the link to stay public.
Why does my linked PDF fail to load in Notion?
The link is probably private. For Google Drive, set sharing to "anyone with the link can view" and use that share URL.
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