# PDF-Preview not available?!

**URL:** <https://forums.rocket.chat/t/pdf-preview-not-available/11247>\
**Category:** Community Support\
**Created:** [May 25, 2021, 5:52pm UTC](https://forums.rocket.chat/t/pdf-preview-not-available/11247 "2021-05-25T17:52:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![basstscho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@basstscho](https://forums.rocket.chat/u/basstscho)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 5:52pm UTC](https://forums.rocket.chat/t/pdf-preview-not-available/11247/1 "2021-05-25T17:52:20Z")

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### Description

We have an rocket.chat installation and I’ve read several times, that there should be a preview or direct “open” for PDF-Files. f.e.: [[3.6.0] Does not render pdf previews · Issue #18740 · RocketChat/Rocket.Chat · GitHub](https://github.com/RocketChat/Rocket.Chat/issues/18740)  
At our system there is nothing like this. We can only download the pdf (by pressing on the filename or the download-icon). Can I activate the preveiw somewhere?

### Server Setup Information

- Version of Rocket.Chat Server: 3.13.2
- Operating System: Ubuntuu
- Deployment Method: snap
- Windows-Client: 3.2.2

### Any additional Information

![link](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex021/uploads/rocketchat/original/2X/0/06cc19e2ca9de9a10c708a58698931cdec220770.png)

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**Author:** ![john.crisp](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex021/user_avatar/forums.rocket.chat/john.crisp/32/2711_2.png) [@john.crisp](https://forums.rocket.chat/u/john.crisp)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2021, 12:08pm UTC](https://forums.rocket.chat/t/pdf-preview-not-available/11247/2 "2021-05-29T12:08:04Z")

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OK - I had to go read why this happens and the answer is here:

> <https://github.com/RocketChat/Rocket.Chat/blob/develop/KNOWN_ISSUES.md#attachment-pdf-preview-is-no-longer-being-rendered>

Some PRs that point to it.

> <https://github.com/RocketChat/Rocket.Chat/pull/12375>

> <https://github.com/RocketChat/Rocket.Chat/pull/12632>
>
> Based on the comment https://github.com/RocketChat/Rocket.Chat/pull/10519#issuec…omment-439094206.

Essentially it would be OK if you limited it to say 1Mb PDFs, but people want a 50mb PDF preview and that grinds the system to a halt.

So to keep performance under control it is disabled at least for now.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![basstscho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@basstscho](https://forums.rocket.chat/u/basstscho)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2021, 12:34pm UTC](https://forums.rocket.chat/t/pdf-preview-not-available/11247/3 "2021-05-29T12:34:47Z")

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Thank you the information. Is there another way to optimize the way of opening the PDFs? Currently they have to be downloaded to a folder and than you have to open them from there. Isn’t there a way that PDF-files are opening instant?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![john.crisp](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex021/user_avatar/forums.rocket.chat/john.crisp/32/2711_2.png) [@john.crisp](https://forums.rocket.chat/u/john.crisp)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2021, 9:17pm UTC](https://forums.rocket.chat/t/pdf-preview-not-available/11247/4 "2021-05-29T21:17:58Z")

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Possibly - it probably needs a different link to open in application rather than download?

This is the html for the download link that I copied from open.rocket.chat for a test pdf I uploaded in the #sandbox channel.

You might want to take a look at it.

`<div class="rcx-box rcx-box--full rcx-message-attachment rcx-css-1qrnje"><a href="https://open.rocket.chat/file-upload/uMaFb7Qm3aSeqojPA/drawing.pdf?download" target="_blank" download="drawing.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="rcx-box rcx-box--full rcx-css-1rdemzp">drawing.pdf</a><a target="_blank" href="https://open.rocket.chat/file-upload/uMaFb7Qm3aSeqojPA/drawing.pdf?download" download="drawing.pdf" class="rcx-box rcx-box--full rcx-box--animated rcx-button--mini-square rcx-button--square rcx-button--ghost rcx-button rcx-css-1k1r0f9" data-title="Download"><i aria-hidden="true" class="rcx-box rcx-box--full rcx-icon--name-download rcx-icon rcx-css-1g87xs3"></i></a></div>`

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![michael2105](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@michael2105](https://forums.rocket.chat/u/michael2105)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 7:41am UTC](https://forums.rocket.chat/t/pdf-preview-not-available/11247/5 "2021-09-02T07:41:27Z")

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Anything new about pdf view inside RocketChat? Is there any way to enable it? We are missing that feature ☹