Learn how to share a PDF file in Zoom meetings seamlessly and make your documents easy to share with participants.
Sharing a PDF file during a Zoom meeting can be an effective way to present documents, collaborate, or discuss key details with participants.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to share a PDF file on Zoom meeting, and we’ll show you how to easily reduce your file size for sharing your PDF after your meeting.
7 Steps to Share a PDF File In a Zoom Meeting
Follow these simple steps to share your PDF on Zoom:
Step 1: Open the PDF File
Before your Zoom meeting starts, open the PDF file you want to share using a PDF viewer or in a browser tab. Ensure your PDF is ready to be displayed on your screen for easy sharing.
Step 2: Join or Start Your Zoom Meeting
Open the Zoom app or web portal and start or join the meeting as you usually would. Make sure you’re either the host or have been given permission to share your screen.
Step 3: Click the “Share Screen” Button
Click the “Share” button in the Zoom toolbar, which is typically displayed at the bottom of the window.

- After you’ve chosen your compression level, click the “Compress” button and wait a few seconds for the file to be compressed.
- You’ll then be presented with a menu that allows you to download your PDF, export it in a certain format, share it, or print it.
Step 4: Select the PDF Window
A pop-up will show thumbnails of all your open windows. Look for the window displaying your PDF file and click to select it.
If your PDF includes embedded audio or video, check the box that says “Share sound” on the right-hand side of the pop-up.
Step 5: Share Your PDF
After selecting the PDF window, click the blue “Share” button at the bottom of the pop-up.
Step 6: Present the PDF
Your meeting participants will now see the PDF file on their screens. You can scroll, zoom in, highlight, or use annotation tools while presenting.
Step 7: Stop Sharing When Done
When you’re finished, move your cursor to the top of the screen and click the red “Stop Share” button.
Compress Your PDF for Easier Sharing After Your Meeting
Once your Zoom meeting has finished, you may need to share your PDF with participants. The simplest way to ensure your PDF isn’t too large to share and is easy to store is to compress it using a tool like Smallpdf’s Compress PDF.
Here are some simple steps to use Compress PDF:
- Navigate to Compress PDF and click “Choose Files” to upload your file or drag and drop it into the upload field.
- After a few moments, your document will upload. From there, you can choose your compression settings:
- Basic: This provides you with a medium file size with standard resolution.
- Strong: This will result in a small file size with lower resolution.
Make Your PDF Files Easy to Share After Zoom Meetings
Do you need to send a large PDF after your Zoom meeting? Smallpdf’s Compress PDF tool quickly reduces your file size and makes sharing fast, easy, and hassle-free.
FAQs on How to Share PDF File in Zoom Meeting
Can I share a PDF in a Zoom meeting?
Yes, you can share a PDF in a Zoom Meeting using the screen share feature. Simply open the PDF on your computer, click “Share” in Zoom, and select the window displaying your PDF. Participants will be able to view the document in real-time as you present it.
How do I present a PDF in Zoom?
If you want to present a PDF in Zoom, open the file on your computer and join or start your Zoom meeting. Then, click the “Share” button, select the window with your open PDF, and click “Share”.
How do I upload a PDF to Zoom?
Zoom doesn’t have a feature to upload files directly into the meeting interface, but you can share a PDF by screen sharing or sending it through the in-meeting chat.
To share via chat, click the chat icon, then use the file upload button to send the PDF to participants. For presenting, screen sharing is the most effective option.
How do I share documents onscreen in a Zoom meeting?
To share documents onscreen in a Zoom meeting, open the document on your computer first. Then click the “Share” button on Zoom, choose the window displaying your document, and click “Share”. The participants will then see the document as you scroll, present, or annotate.
How to share file on Zoom from desktop?
If you want to share a file on Zoom from your desktop, open the file you want to share before the meeting. During the meeting, click the “Share” button, select the window with your open file, and click “Share”.
How to share PDF in Zoom meeting in mobile?
To share a PDF in a Zoom meeting on mobile, first open the PDF file on your phone. Tap the “Share” button in Zoom, select “Screen Share,” and choose the document you want to share. The participants will then see your PDF in real-time.
