Getting started with ChatPDF on iPhone and iPad
Updated 13 October 2026 · ChatPDF guides · 4 sources
AI can miss or misstate things. Summaries and answers from AI tools, ChatPDF included, can leave out important details or get them wrong. Check anything that matters against the document itself, especially legal, medical, financial and exam material.
- ChatPDF is an iPhone and iPad app. You add PDFs from inside the app with the system document picker, which shows your Files locations and iCloud Drive.
- Before the first upload a consent screen explains what is sent and to whom; you can withdraw consent in Settings. 1
- Ask questions in plain language, or tap Summary, Insights or a suggested prompt such as "Quiz me with 5 questions".
- Deleting a document removes its stored text and search index from our server; chat history stays on your device. 1
ChatPDF lets you ask questions about a PDF and get summaries, key takeaways, quizzes and flashcards written by AI. This guide walks through the first session: getting a PDF into the app, the consent screen, asking good questions and cleaning up afterward. It also covers what the app does not do, so you are not left looking for a button that is not there.
Before you start: get the PDF into Files
ChatPDF opens PDFs from the iPhone's document picker, which shows the same locations as the Files app: On My iPhone, iCloud Drive and any storage provider that appears in Files. If your PDF is somewhere else, save it to Files first:
- From Mail: touch and hold the attachment, then choose Save to Files 2.
- From Safari: open the PDF, tap Share, then Save to Files 3.
- A paper document: scan it first, then check it has selectable text; see how to scan documents to PDF and scanned PDFs and OCR.
Not sure where a file ended up? Search for its name in the Files app 4. Also check the PDF has selectable text and fits your plan; see which PDFs work with ChatPDF.
Step 1: add a PDF
- Open ChatPDF and tap the button to add a PDF.
- Choose the file in the document picker. Only PDF files can be added.
- The app extracts the text on your device and uploads only that text so the document can be indexed for questions 1.
The app does not appear as a target in other apps' Share or "Open in" menus; adding always starts inside ChatPDF.
Step 2: the consent screen
Before your first upload, a consent screen explains what is sent (the PDF and its text, and your questions), who receives it (our server on Cloudflare, and Anthropic or, as a backup, Replicate for writing answers) and how it is used. If you do not agree, nothing is uploaded. You can withdraw consent later in the app's Settings 1. The full picture is in privacy of AI PDF tools and our privacy policy.
Step 3: ask questions
Type a question in plain language. Answers come in the language you ask in, even when the document is in another language, which helps with understanding a foreign-language PDF (it is not a full-document translator; see translating PDF content).
Quick actions and suggested prompts
| Tap | What it asks | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | "Summarize this document in 3 key points" | A fast first look |
| Insights | "What are the main insights from this document?" | Reports, articles, papers |
| Summarize this document | A general summary | Deciding what to read in full |
| Quiz me with 5 questions | A short practice quiz | Checking what you remember |
| Make flashcards | Question-and-answer cards | Review over several days |
| Key takeaways | The main points to remember | Meetings and briefings |
For whole-document requests like these, the app sends a broader sample of the document to the AI; for ordinary questions it sends the passages that best match your question. You can copy any answer to paste elsewhere.
Tips for better answers
- Ask one thing at a time and use the document's own wording.
- Follow up: "What exceptions does it mention?" or "Is there anything else about fees?"
- Answers do not show page numbers or citations, so search the PDF yourself for anything you will rely on (see searching a PDF on iPhone).
More patterns are in how to ask questions to a PDF and prompts that work well for PDFs.
Step 4: delete what you no longer need
Delete a document from your list in the app when you are done with it. This deletes its stored text and search index on our server. Your chat history is stored on your device 1.
What ChatPDF does not do
- It needs PDFs with selectable text. Scanned pages without a text layer are refused with a message that the PDF has no selectable text, because the app does not include OCR.
- It is not a PDF viewer or editor. For reading, marking up, signing or combining PDFs, use the Preview app or Files (see Files app PDF tips).
- There is no camera or document scanner in the app, and no web, Android or Mac version.
- It needs an internet connection to answer.
Plans and languages
Using the app requires a subscription, weekly or yearly; new subscribers may be offered a free trial. Plans limit how many pages each PDF can have and how large the file can be, and a trial allows only a few short documents. Check the app for current plans. The interface is available in English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Turkish and Simplified Chinese. See also our terms.
Common questions
Why can’t I find ChatPDF in the Share menu?
The app does not add itself to other apps’ Share or Open in menus. Save the PDF to Files first, then add it from inside ChatPDF with the document picker. 2,3
Can I add a Word document or a photo?
No, only PDF files can be added, and they need selectable text. Export the document as a PDF from the app that made it first.
How do I stop sharing documents?
Withdraw consent in the app’s Settings so nothing more is uploaded, and delete documents you added to remove their text and search index from our server. 1
Sources and further reading
- ChatPDF. Privacy Policy. chatpdf.berkcan.dev
- Apple Support. Download email attachments in Mail on iPhone (iPhone User Guide). support.apple.com
- Apple Support. Download a PDF from Safari to your iPhone (iPhone User Guide). support.apple.com
- Apple Support. Find and view files and folders in Files on iPhone (iPhone User Guide). support.apple.com