Hey everyone,
I’ve got a Google Sheets document that I’m trying to share as a PDF. The problem is, when I use the current link, it forces a download instead of just showing the PDF in the browser.
Does anyone know if there’s a way to change this? I’d really like people to be able to view the PDF directly without having to download it first. Maybe there’s a setting I’m missing or a different way to generate the link?
Any help would be awesome. Thanks in advance!
hey lucask, i’ve got a quick fix for ya. instead of using the regular export option, try this: after you make the PDF, upload it to Google Drive. then get the shareable link and add ‘?usp=drivesdk’ at the end. that should make it open in the browser. works like a charm for me!
I’ve dealt with this exact issue before. In my experience, the best approach is to avoid the direct download link and instead use Google Drive’s preview mode. I found that by getting the sharing link for the document and then manually replacing ‘/edit?usp=sharing’ with ‘/preview’, the link opens up in the browser rather than forcing a download. This method has worked reliably for me when sharing with clients who prefer to view PDFs online. Just make sure that your document is set to allow anyone with the link to view, otherwise users might run into access issues.
I’ve encountered this issue in professional settings. A reliable solution is to utilize Google Drive’s built-in PDF viewer. After exporting your Sheet to PDF, upload it to Drive. Then, right-click the file, select ‘Get link’, and choose ‘Anyone with the link can view’. This generates a shareable URL that opens the PDF in-browser. For added convenience, you can embed this link in websites or emails, allowing seamless viewing without downloads. This method has consistently worked well for sharing financial reports and project documentation with clients and team members.