In this article, I will show you multiple ways to insert a PDF file into a Google Doc. Depending on the PDF file and what you want to do with it, these are the actual options you have.
With that in mind, here are the options to insert a PDF file in Google Docs. Look here if you need to insert PDF files in Google Sheets.
Upload to Drive and Open PDF with Google Docs
Even if you are unfamiliar with the process of adding documents to Google Drive, you can do it fairly easily.
Just visit Google Drive and sign in. Then, click the New button on the top left and pick “File Upload.” (Optionally, you can add it to a new or existing folder).
Once the file is uploaded, select your PDF file, right click, and then choose to open it with Google Docs. That’s it!
However, you have to be aware that there can be formatting issues if you convert it using this method. So other methods of attaching, including, or converting can be your solution. Keep on reading to know more.
Insert a PDF as a Link in Google Docs
This next method is commonly used if you just want to attach a PDF file as a resource or material to your overall file. In this case, you may just include a link of your PDF file and attach it to your Google Docs file.
To do this, you just need to upload your PDF file to your Google Drive, just like what we mentioned in the first method above.
When you see your file appear in My Drive or Recent, right-click and pick “Get Link.” After that, click “Copy Link” to place the link on your clipboard and click “Done” to close the window.
Then, head to your document in Google Docs to insert the link. Go to the place in your Google Doc where you want the PDF link. Go to Edit > Paste in the menu or right-click and choose “Paste.”
When the link appears in your document, you’ll see an option to replace it with an icon that displays the PDF name. To use the icon, press your Tab key or select the icon in the tiny pop-up window.
This option gives you quick and easy access to the PDF document. You will be able to see the chip by hovering your cursor over the icon or simply clicking it. After clicking the link in the chip, a new browser tab will open with the PDF.
Use FileDrop To Insert PDFs into Google Docs
With the FileDrop add-on, depending on the content of your PDF file, you have multiple options.
- Insert PDF as link
- Use OCR to extract the text and insert the text
- Covert the PDF file to Word(docx) and import in Docs – best result
Install the FileDrop Google Docs add-on. Once the add-on is installed, go to “Extensions”, select “FileDrop”, and start it. (you might need to refresh the page)
Attaching or inserting multiple files into your Google Doc automatically is easy with the right tools. This is especially true if you need to upload or attach files in bulk. If you need to easily mass upload images to Google Docs, you can do that with FileDrop.
This is a fairly easy method. This can be achieved by just opening FileDrop and drag and drop. 
A FileDrop sidebar will appear on the right side of the screen, which will be used to upload files. You may either select “choose files” or just drag and drop the PDF file that you will insert. You can now drag and drop the PDF file to the desired location in Google Docs after choosing it. It will immediately upload to your Google Drive in the FileDrop folder that is created when the add-on is installed.
OCR Text Extraction
If you want to extract the text from the PDF file just click TXT/OCR icon and in seconds all the text is extracted, and you can add it to your Doc.
If your file is already in your Google Drive, use the Drive tab and search for your file, with the mouse over you will see the OCR/TXT icon.
The result will look something like this.
Now you can click the insert button, and the text will be added to your Google Doc. The formatting is not always as the original file. Depending on your needs this might be ok or not, if not the next option is to convert the PDF file to Google Docs, that’s the next option.
Convert the PDF to Google Docs
If you want to convert the PDF to Google Docs you need to use our Plus Tools sidebar (available for Business+ users) and add the file ID.
Once the file ID is added, you can start the conversion. The Conversion tool allows the conversion to be in DOCX, XLSX, or PPTX. Depending on the file you have you can choose any of the formats.
In a few seconds you get a message that the conversion is complete. Now you can open the Docx file in Google Docs.
The result will look like this, with the formatting as close as possible to the original PDF file. Sometimes the formatting might not be exact, this depends a lot on the PDF file.
Video version
Conclusion: Simplifying PDF Insertion in Google Docs
Inserting a PDF into Google Docs can seem challenging, but with the right method, it’s straightforward. Whether you’re adding a quick link, extracting text, or preserving the original formatting, these tools and techniques make it manageable.
For frequent PDF handling, consider tools like FileDrop to save time and maintain document quality.
Choosing the right method based on your needs will streamline your workflow and help keep your Google Docs organized and accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the main ways to insert a PDF file into Google Docs?
- There are four main methods:
- Upload to Google Drive and open with Google Docs – This may have formatting issues.
- Insert the PDF as a link and share – Useful if you just want to provide access to others users the PDF.
- Use the FileDrop add-on – Options include inserting a PDF as a link, using OCR to extract text, or converting the PDF to a Word document.
2. How can I upload a PDF and open it in Google Docs?
- Upload the PDF to Google Drive by clicking New > File Upload. Right-click the file in Drive and select Open with > Google Docs. Note that formatting might be affected with this method.
3. How can I insert a PDF as a link in Google Docs?
- First, upload the PDF to Google Drive. Right-click, choose Get Link, and copy it. Then paste the link into your Google Doc. Google Docs will provide an option to display it as a clickable icon.
4. What is FileDrop, and how does it help with PDFs?
- FileDrop is a Google Docs add-on that offers flexible options for PDFs:
- Insert the PDF as a link
- Extract text using OCR for editable content
- Convert the PDF to a Word file for easier formatting control
5. How do I extract text from a PDF in Google Docs using OCR?
- After installing FileDrop, open the sidebar, locate the PDF in your Google Drive, and click the TXT/OCR icon. The text will be extracted and can be inserted into your Google Doc. Note that formatting might differ from the original.
6. How can I convert a PDF to Google Docs while preserving the formatting?
- Use the Plus Tools sidebar available for Business+ users. Add the file ID, select DOCX for the best formatting result, and complete the conversion. Open the DOCX in Google Docs for a format close to the original PDF.
7. What is the easiest way to insert a PDF into Google Docs?
- The FileDrop add-on is the easiest and most flexible method, allowing linking, OCR text extraction, or PDF-to-Word conversion, all within the Google Docs interface.
8. Does converting a PDF to Google Docs affect formatting?
- Yes, formatting may not be exactly the same, depending on the method. FileDrop and Plus Tools offer options that minimize formatting issues but may not be perfect, especially with complex PDFs.
