How to Embed PDFs, Spreadsheets, and Other Documents in WordPress (2023 Ultimate Guide)

WordPress powers over 43% of all websites, making it the world‘s most popular content management system. With great flexibility and no coding required, it provides a perfect platform for embedding digital documents.

But what‘s the best way to embed a PDF, Word doc, or Excel spreadsheet into your WordPress site? Follow this comprehensive guide to master document embeds.

Why You Should Embed Documents in WordPress

First, let‘s discuss why embedding documents directly in blog posts and pages is so valuable:

Make Content More Informative – Supplement your articles with data-rich PDF reports, insightful spreadsheets, or detailed presentations. This adds credibility and value.

Share Examples of Work – Consultants, agencies, and freelancers can embed work samples to demonstrate expertise to prospective clients.

Enhance Paid Member Value – Membership and online course sites can embed premium documents like tip sheets, workbooks, and videos to boost retention.

Reduce Bounce Rates – Keep visitors on site longer by allowing them to flip through embedded presentations and documents rather than only offering file downloads.

Industry surveys show 78% of site owners say embedded documents make their content more useful for visitors. Let‘s look at the top options for embedding files.

Method #1 – Embed PDF Documents

PDF files remain one of the most commonly embedded document types. Here is an expert walkthrough on embedding PDFs in WordPress:

1. Upload your PDF to the Media Library
2. Create a new page or post in the block editor
3. Add a File block
4. Select your uploaded PDF in the media library sources
5. Customize the display settings like text and size

[youtube src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B3lyh-w_wi4"]

💡 Pro Tip: For advanced PDF viewing options without leaving your site, use a PDF viewer plugin. This allows flipping pages and smooth mobile viewing.

Popular PDF plugins like Embed PDF Viewer work great for embedding documents behind membership paywalls too.

Method #2 – Embed Google Drive Files

Rather than downloading and reuploading files to embed in WordPress, you can embed straight from Google Drive with no quality loss using iframe embed codes.

Benefits:

✅ Edit in real-time
✅ Maintain original link
✅ Customize size

How to embed:

1. Open your Google Docs/Sheets/Slides file
2. File > Publish to Web > Embed
3. Copy iframe embed code
4. Paste into WordPress HTML block

<iframe src="https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQFJlAxK5Jf4NJCPLdiSsHbwqhwg9eIKqKlDCEP08pP_4Wk1497BOli1Sql0dIcI4/pub" width="680" height="500" ></iframe>

For the best user experience, we recommend limiting maximum embed dimensions to 80% width of content space. This prevents unnecessary horizontal scrolling on all devices.

Method #3 – Embed Microsoft Office Files

WordPress doesn‘t include native support for embedding PowerPoint, Word, and Excel documents out of the box.

Thankfully, the Embed Any Document plugin adds this useful functionality for free:

Features:

✅ One-click upload
✅ Office Online / Google Docs rendering
✅ 7+ million installations

How to embed Office files:

1. Install and activate the plugin
2. Click + icon > Embed > Document
3. Upload your file from computer
4. Customize display options
5. Embed document!

💡 Pro Tip: For advanced protection, use browser caching restrictions to prevent unauthorized saving of embedded documents.

Now that you know how to properly embed documents in WordPress, let‘s go over some best practices…

Expert Tips for Embedding Docs

When adding document embeds, keep these expert recommendations in mind:

• Test on mobile devices – Reduce sizing or consider a PDF viewer plugin to improve small screen experience
• Link to the original file – Allow visitors to download the doc if needed
• Explain relevance – Describe why you‘re sharing the document to provide context
• Share selectively – Don‘t overwhelm page content or force downloads
• Review accessibility – Use text alternatives and enable tab navigation where possible
• Track engagement – Install MonsterInsights to see your top embedded files

[youtube src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AZlUnKqtCW4"]

👉 See also: How to Track File Downloads in WordPress

If you plan to sell or limit access to certain documents, check out our guide on embedding restricted files for paying members.

I hope this definitive guide to embedding Word, Excel, PDF and other documents in WordPress was helpful! Let me know if have any other questions.