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Question

Local PDF file does not open unless Wifi is connected (iOS)

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
January 24, 2020
4 replies
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Cannot open local PDF files!

PDF app version on iOS: 19.12.00

Details:

Local PDF file does not open unless Wifi is connected.

The file is not on cloud. The file is stored locally on device.

This topic has been closed for replies.

ls_rbls

Community Expert

Hopefully a developer will join the discussion.

I re-read more carefully this thread and spend more time doing additional reading about this issue outside of the Adobe support forums.

Apparently, this problem is traced all the way back to 2015.

And it seems to be an platform integration issue between Apple and Adobe (but I am not a developer, so please excuse all my excessive verbage in my replies...just a PC repair guy here blabbing about iOS and Adobe Acrobat Mobile app).

From what I've read in other Adobe support discussions I can infer that the issue is directly related to Apple not providing a way for the iOS users to manually associate a file with a default file handler.

In other words, Apple has not provided a way to manually assign a default file handler/owner except for its own built-in apps like Safari, to name an example.

That being the case, the Acrobat Reader Mobile cannot be set as the default PDF file owner and handler for all PDFs in the device; iOS users will have to continue to use the long press method on a PDF file icon, then select Copy to Adobe Acrobat method from the context menu that will pop among a list of other programs.

Even though what I am referring to above may not be entirely related to your case, there is extensive step-by-step guidance on how to work around opening of PDFs using Acrobat Reader in your Apple mobile devices such as iPads and iPhones.

In all of the following links below, you'll notice that it is stressed that there is no way to set this automatically. See here:

In the case that you may want to continue using the Acrobat Reader Mobile App in your iOS device, I did found an interesting detail though, which brings me back to my whole point.

See this linkhttps://www.howtogeek.com/301313/how-to-turn-off-airdrop-in-ios-so-you-dont-get-unsolicited-photos/ and see the slide below:

Above the listed programs you can clearly see AirDrop as an option to enable sharing files via WiFi and Blutooth.

This AirDrop app also can't be uninstalled nor removed from the iOS, but you can disable it.

Using the link that I 've referenced above for you about AirDrop in iOS, would you be able to confirm if when you've selected a PDf by long-pressing on it, and then choosing "Copy To Adobe Acrobat" , that AirDrop wasn't enabled for Acrobat Reader mobile?

Can you post back one more time and confirm if disabling Airdrop would be a possible solution to this issue?

Thank you.

U

username4Author

New Participant

In case anyone else faces the same issue on iOS, the current solution is to use a different APP (there are many free PDF readers in the App store)

Tip: You can use the Files APP to copy or move your existing PDF files from Acrobat to another APP.

(ps. It doesn't look like any Adobe developers are on this forum. That's too bad.)

Bernd Alheit

Community Expert

Does this happen with all local files?

U

username4Author

New Participant

Yes, it happens with all files.

Specifically: PDF files open fine when wifi is turned on, but when you turn off wifi then the file doesn't open. No error message either, there is no feedback to the user.

iPadOS 13.3 (6th Gen iPad)

Adobe PDF App version: 20.01.00

ls_rbls

Community Expert

If this is happening with every file this is not a bug in the Adobe Reader mobile app.

You can try and reset your network preferences to rule out it could be an issue related to connectivity. Maybe turning on and off Airplane mode could fix a few things.

But this an issue of iOS13 and macOS. And I call it an issue because like I said before Iuse Android and I don't have this problem using Adobe Reader mobile app.

I also mentioned that I see a lot of Apple users coming to this forums to find out about hidden features in their devices.

The one common complain is about loosing all of their files if they uninstall and reinstall the app.

And again, that has nothing to do with Acrobat Reader. This issue is at the operating system level and its new features.

Because most mobile devices are now supporting cloud storage, it would make more sense to me to disable or turn off any file synchronization or optimization service in your device.

Have you checked by going to your cloud storage online and see the files that you claim are in your device are backed up in the cloud?

If they are, and you're not able to access them locally in your device you probably need to turn off "Optimized iCloud Drive Storage".

ls_rbls

Community Expert

Hi,

When you go to the Preferences in your mobile app, do you have available the option "Open Settings App"?

If you do , see also if you can access the "Mobile Data" section; toggle or enable "Allow background data usage" and "Allow app while Data saver on".

See here, from Apple support: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201400

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username4Author

New Participant

Thanks for the reply, but that does not help.

You are just saying to enable data usage instead of Wifi. So Adobe PDF APP on iOS requires a data connection (Wifi or cellular) to open a local stored on device PDF file. Why?

Please udpate the app so I can open PDF files offline. I guess I will have to use another PDF reader instead of Adobe's.

ls_rbls

Community Expert

You're welcome.

If you suspect that this is a feature that the Adobe Reader Mobile app is lacking in iOS devices you get a better chance to voice your request here: Adobe Products Wishform (Feature Request / Report a Bug)

I think you got me confused with an Adobe developer or engineer.

This here is a user-to-user Adobe community support forum.

So I am a user helping another user, except that I use AndroidOS and I never get the issues that I see here with iOS users.

There are features of the mobile app in Android that are not present in iOS devices and vice versa.

That said, your post wasn't really a question.

I am not just basically saying like you've implied.

I am actually troubleshooting your problem based on your initial vague post.

If your post would've included your second reply to my suggestion, my answer would've been entirely different.

So, When I help someone, I am not even focused in following a trend, nor using general

opinion to resolve a specific issue.

I don't even really care which side of the fence I'm crossing if I have to intentionally void the warranty of a product as long as I make it work the way I need it to work.

Marginal benefits of open source.

So You (not me!) specified that a file is stored locally in your device and it can't be accessed unless wifi or mobile data is turned on.

I didn't said that.

What I'm looking at, first of all, is a way to rule out if your device's security is compromised by spyware or malware.

Let's say that was the case, I am trying to figure out why is it that when you try to open the file it is requiring to enable WiFi and not cellular with data enabled.

My second question to approach this problem would be if this is just happening with the Reader Mobile app or any other software that tries to open certain type of files.

But since it looks like you already know the answer to your issue, whatever is said from this point forward is pointless.

If you took the time to read the support link from Apple, enabling cellular access with data is actually their own troubleshooting recommended guidance to test misbehaving apps.

WiFi is almost certain that it will work, but at the cost of compromising your less secured home or work network, IF, a malicious app is actually compelling the user to enable WiFi .

And because it is true that the Reader Mobile app requires access to the Document Cloud to access certain collaboration and online file synchronization services and features, sometimes you have to be signed in with your app to get full access to a file in your device.

Your local file storage, wether it is an SD Card or your mobile device's Internal Storage, is looked at as a Document Cloud storage location by the Reader Mobile app.

And unfortunately for iOS users it seems like this is a growing issue.

Some have reported loosing all of their files if they uninstall the app and reinstall it again... even the cached copies in the document cloud are lost or really hard to recover after that.

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