Is the PDF viewer not displaying, showing a blank space, a plain link, or hanging on “Loading…”?
This guide covers the most common causes and how to work through each one.
Before you get started
Before you get started, if you are using any caching tools on the site, ensure you exclude the PDF Embedder plugins from those tools, as shown in our Using Caching or Minifying Plugins guide. Caching conflicts are one of the most frequent causes of the PDF failing to load, and resolving the cache exclusion often fixes the issue on its own.
Below are known causes and their resolutions to this issue.
Plugin or theme conflict
The most common cause is a JavaScript conflict with another plugin or theme.
Step 1: Deactivate all other plugins
In Plugins > Installed Plugins, deactivate everything except PDF Embedder. Also, switch to a default WordPress theme such as Twenty Twenty-Three.
Reload the page containing the PDF. If it loads, re-activate each plugin one at a time, reloading the page after each, until the PDF stops loading. That last plugin is the conflict.
Step 2: Check the browser console for errors
Open your browser’s developer tools (in Chrome: View > Developer > JavaScript Console). Reload the page. Red error messages may point to the specific plugin or script causing the issue. Take a screenshot and send it to support if you need help reading the output.
Step 3: Check the network tab for missing files
In developer tools, open the Network tab. Reload the page, then type pdfemb in the filter box. The following files should appear:
all-pdfemb-premium.min.js(orall-pdfemb-basic.min.jsfor the free version)pdf.min.jspdf.worker.min.js
If any are missing, something on the site is blocking PDF Embedder from loading its scripts, often a caching plugin, a security plugin with script restrictions, or a theme with aggressive script management.
Downgrading from a plan that included Secure PDFs
If a PDF was uploaded while a Pro or Elite license was active, it was stored in the /securepdfs/ folder. That folder is only accessible through PDF Embedder’s secure delivery system.
After a downgrade to a plan without the Secure PDFs feature, the viewer can no longer reach those files, and the PDF will not load.
To fix this, you need to re-upload the affected PDFs. Without the Secure PDFs feature, new uploads go to the standard /wp-content/uploads/ folder and load normally. You also need to update the shortcodes or blocks on each affected page to point to the new file URL.
PDF file issues on mobile
If the PDF loads on desktop but crashes or shows a blank page on mobile, see Crashing or Blank Pages on Mobile Devices for mobile-specific steps.
Still not loading?
Contact support and include a link to the page with the broken embed, any error messages from the browser console, and the name of your hosting provider.