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MaxtDesign PDF Viewer

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MaxtDesign PDF Viewer

by MaxtDesign

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Description

MaxtDesign PDF Viewer is a performance-focused PDF embedding solution for WordPress. Unlike other PDF plugins that load heavy JavaScript libraries upfront, this plugin uses a smart lazy-loading approach that keeps your pages fast.

Key Features

  • Instant Preview – Server-generated WebP preview images display immediately
  • Zero Layout Shift – CSS aspect-ratio reserves exact space before content loads
  • Lazy Loading – Full PDF.js viewer loads only when needed
  • Gutenberg Block – Native block editor integration
  • Shortcode Support – Works in classic editor and widgets
  • Keyboard Navigation – Full keyboard and screen reader accessibility
  • Mobile Optimized – Touch gestures for page navigation and zoom

Performance

  • Initial page load: < 10KB JavaScript
  • First paint: < 200ms
  • Full viewer: Loads on-demand
  • Preview images: Optimized WebP format

How It Works

  1. Upload a PDF to your media library
  2. The plugin automatically extracts the first page as a WebP preview
  3. Insert the PDF using the Gutenberg block or shortcode
  4. Visitors see an instant preview image
  5. Clicking “View Document” loads the interactive PDF.js viewer

Requirements

For automatic preview generation, your server needs one of:

  • ImageMagick with PDF support (recommended)
  • Ghostscript

The plugin will detect available options and use the best method automatically.

Shortcode Usage

[pdf_viewer id=”123″]

Attributes:

  • id (required) – Attachment ID of the PDF
  • width – CSS width value (default: 100%)
  • load – When to load viewer: click, visible, immediate (default: click)
  • toolbar – Show toolbar: true/false (default: true)

Privacy

This plugin:

  • Does not collect any personal data
  • Does not send data to external services
  • Stores preview images locally on your server
  • Uses PDF.js library loaded from your own server
  1. Upload the plugin files to /wp-content/plugins/maxtdesign-pdf-viewer/
  2. Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
  3. Go to Settings PDF Viewer to configure options
  4. Check the Server Info tab to verify your server can generate previews

From WordPress Admin

  1. Go to Plugins Add New
  2. Search for “MaxtDesign PDF Viewer”
  3. Click Install Now, then Activate
  1. PDF viewer with preview image and activation button

    PDF viewer with preview image and activation button

  2. Full interactive viewer with toolbar

    Full interactive viewer with toolbar

  3. Gutenberg block in the editor

    Gutenberg block in the editor

  4. Settings page - General tab

    Settings page - General tab

  5. Settings page - Server Info tab

    Settings page - Server Info tab

Why aren’t previews being generated?

Preview generation requires ImageMagick or Ghostscript on your server. Go to Settings PDF Viewer Server Info to check your server capabilities. Many shared hosts have ImageMagick pre-installed.

Can I regenerate previews for existing PDFs?

Yes! Go to Settings PDF Viewer Tools and click “Process Unprocessed PDFs” to generate previews for all PDFs in your media library.

How do I change the preview quality?

Go to Settings PDF Viewer and change the “Preview Quality” setting. Higher quality means sharper previews but larger file sizes.

Does this work with page builders?

Yes! Use the shortcode [pdf_viewer id=”123″] in any page builder that supports shortcodes. The Gutenberg block works natively in the WordPress editor.

Is it accessible?

Yes! The viewer includes full keyboard navigation, ARIA labels, screen reader announcements, and respects reduced motion preferences.

Can visitors download or print the PDF?

Yes, the toolbar includes download, print, and fullscreen buttons. You can disable these in the block settings or plugin options.

1.0.0

  • Initial release
  • Gutenberg block for easy PDF embedding
  • Shortcode support for classic editor
  • Automatic WebP preview generation
  • PDF.js integration for full viewing
  • Keyboard navigation and accessibility
  • Admin settings page
  • Bulk processing tool
  • Cache management
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