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How to send PDFs as a link

December 5, 2025
How to send PDFs as a link

Sharing PDFs over email or cloud links tells you nothing about who opened them, what they cared about, or whether they found what they needed. Send turns any PDF into a single trackable link with AI chat built in, so recipients get instant answers and you see exactly which pages held their attention.

When this is useful

  • You need to know if a recipient actually read your PDF-and which sections mattered most
  • You want recipients to find answers fast without emailing you back with basic questions
  • You're sharing proposals, contracts, pricing docs, case studies, or product specs where engagement clarity matters
  • You want one stable link that stays valid even when you replace the file underneath it
  • You need name/email capture before viewing, or want to disable downloading and printing
  1. Install the Chrome extension or use the Send app

Go to send.co and install the Chrome extension, or open the Send app directly. The extension adds a blue "Add to Send" button to supported pages; the app lets you upload files from your computer or paste URLs.

  1. Upload your PDF

Click New Document in the top-left of the Send app, then either drag your PDF into the window or click to browse and upload it. The file loads into Send and gets hosted there-no Google Drive or Dropbox dependency.

  1. Add Suggested Questions to steer readers

At the bottom of the preview, add Suggested Questions that guide recipients to what you want them to know:

  • "What's the pricing?"
  • "What's included in the pilot?"
  • "What are the implementation steps?"
  • "Do you offer a money-back guarantee?"
    These questions float at the bottom of the PDF. When clicked, the AI Chat instantly surfaces the answer-no hunting through pages.
  1. Set permissions and gates

Turn on viewer gates if you need name, email, or phone before the recipient can view the PDF. You can also hide content until they provide the required info.

If the PDF is sensitive, disable printing and downloading so it stays view-only.

  1. Copy the link and share it

Click Copy link and send it in your email, Slack message, or text. Best practice: tell recipients there's AI chat inside-engagement jumps when they know they can ask unlimited questions.

Example message:

"Here's the proposal-there's AI chat built in so you can ask anything about pricing, timeline, or next steps. Let me know what questions come up."

  1. Watch the Activity Feed

You'll get an email notification when someone views the PDF. Open the Activity Feed in Send to see:

  • Who viewed it (if they provided info or you used a personalized link)
  • Location and device
  • Time spent on the document
  • Page-level time breakdown (bar chart showing which pages got the most attention)
  • Every question they asked the AI
    Use this signal to prioritize follow-up and show up to calls already knowing what mattered to them.
  1. Replace the file without changing the link

If you need to update the PDF-fix a typo, revise pricing, add a section-use the Replace file option in Send. The link stays the same, so you don't need to resend or worry about version chaos.

Why this is faster with Send

Email attachments and cloud links give you zero visibility after you hit send. You don't know if the recipient opened it, which pages they read, or what confused them. They email you back with questions that are already answered on page 3, and you repeat yourself on calls.

With Send, AI Chat + Suggested Questions get recipients straight to the answer they need-on their own time, without waiting for you. You see what they asked and which pages held their attention, so you can tailor your follow-up and skip the rehash. That compresses sales cycles and makes every conversation richer.

What good looks like

  • Recipients spend meaningful time on key pages (pricing, case studies, implementation)
  • AI Chat logs show they're asking the right questions-or surface objections early
  • You follow up with context: "I saw you spent time on the integration section-happy to walk through that live"
  • No one asks a question that's already in the PDF, because the AI already answered it
  • You update the file once and everyone gets the latest version through the same link

Troubleshooting & tips

  • Low engagement? Make sure you told recipients there's AI chat-they won't discover it on their own.
  • Want better steering? Add more Suggested Questions that surface objections, timelines, and next steps.
  • Need to track multiple recipients separately? Use personalized links (custom URL slugs) for each person, or turn on the viewer gate to capture who's who.
  • Seeing weird page-time data? Recipients who leave the tab open will skew view time; focus on which pages got attention relative to each other.
  • Want AI to answer questions beyond the PDF? Create an AI Profile with instructions to surface your calendar link, case studies, or blog posts when asked.

Integrations & automation

Turn on webhooks for document opens or any link opens within the PDF. Pipe that data to Clay, Zapier, or Make to:

  • Create or update a contact in your CRM when someone views the PDF
  • Log engagement activity as a note or task
  • Send a Slack alert to your team
  • Trigger a follow-up email sequence
    This turns passive tracking into active workflow automation-your CRM stays current without manual data entry.

Privacy & controls

  • Viewer gates: Require name, email, or phone before viewing; optionally hide content until they provide it.
  • Disable download/print: Keep sensitive PDFs view-only.
  • Replace files: Update the PDF under the same link-no resending, no broken links.
  • Personalized links: Create a custom URL slug (e.g., send.co/proposal-acme) to identify a recipient without forcing a gate.
  • Workspaces: Separate personal and business docs; share docs across your workspace so teammates see engagement too.

Get started

Add your first PDF to Send with the Chrome extension or upload it directly in the app. Add a few Suggested Questions, turn on the viewer gate if needed, and copy the link. You'll get an email when someone views it-and you'll see exactly what they cared about.

FAQ

Can I see which pages of the PDF got the most attention?

Yes. Send shows a bar chart of time spent on each page. Use that to spot which sections resonated and which got skipped.

What happens if the answer isn't in the PDF?

By default, the AI only answers questions about the document. If you want it to surface extras-like your calendar link or case studies-create an AI Profile with instructions to provide those links when asked.

Can I replace the PDF without changing the link?

Yes. Use the Replace file option in Send. The link stays the same, so recipients always get the latest version.

Do I get notified when someone views the PDF?

Yes. You'll get an email notification and see real-time updates in the Activity Feed.

Can I require name and email before viewing?

Yes. Turn on the viewer gate and choose which fields are required. You can also hide the PDF content until they provide the info.

How do Suggested Questions work?

You add them when setting up the link. They float at the bottom of the PDF. When a recipient clicks one, the AI Chat instantly returns the answer-no scrolling or searching required.

Can I prevent downloading or printing?

Yes. Toggle disable download/print in the link settings. The PDF stays view-only.

Internal links:

  • Homepage: send.co
  • Feature: AI Chat
  • Feature: Suggested Questions
  • Feature: Webhooks
  • Pricing: send.co/pricing