iOS device users stuck with technical manuals that are PDF only can use iBooks to read documents on the go. Read on to find out how easy it is to sync PDFs with your iPad or iPhone and read them on the go.

Getting PDFs into iBooks

There are two ways to import PDFs into iBooks: through iTunes, or by using another application on your iOS device (such as Mail). Let's start by adding a PDF using iTunes.

Adding PDFs with iTunes

To add a new PDF or book to your iTunes library, drag and drop it on the iTunes icon in the Dock. Conversely, you can drag and drop the file to the "Books" sidebar item. After the import has finished, the PDF will appear in the Books section in iTunes.



To sync the book to your iOS device, select your device in the sidebar, and then click on the Books tab. Check the box for "Sync Books," and then select either "All Books," or "Selected Books." If you choose to sync only selected books, you will need to check the books in the list to sync. When you are finished choosing your preferences, click the Sync button to transfer selected items.

Adding PDFs from email (or other apps)

Sometimes you may get a PDF by email that you wish to open or read in the iBooks app. To do this, simply open the email containing the attachment, and then tap and hold on the attachment for a few seconds. In the pop up sheet that appears, select "Open in iBooks." After a few moments, iBooks will open and begin importing the PDF.

Reading PDFs in iBooks

The PDF reading experience in the iBooks application is similar to reading a purchased book, except that you don't usually get the fancy page-turn animations.



To see all of your PDFs in iBooks, select "PDFs" from the Collections menu in the main Library. Tap on any of the PDFs that are listed to begin reading.



In the reading view, you have buttons to go back to the Library, view an index, share the document (either by email or sending it to a printer), adjust the brightness, search, or bookmark. At the bottom of the page, a scrub feature allows you to skim through the document by sliding your finger.



While reading, you can get an overview of a multi-page document by tapping on the index button (to the right of the Library button). You can switch between the page-based view, textual index view (if your document supports this), and bookmarked pages by using the selector in the upper, right-hand corner of this screen. When you're done, tap the Resume button to continue reading your document.

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