The PDF block allows you to let your app users open PDF files within your app. However, in some cases the PDF block may show your file in pixelated quality on Android. In this article we'll explain why this is the case and what your options are.

To view PDF files in an app a license is needed. This license is not included on Android devices by default and it would require all of our users to purchase their own individual license to be able to view/open the PDF format. Since implement support for individual licenses in our platform is not possible, we integrated a custom solution that reads the PDF file and renders an image of the contents in the app.

Why is this different on iOS?
Apple is already a step ahead by purchasing and including the required license in their mobile browser for general use. This allows us to use a webview controller to show the PDF files in our PDF block on iOS. Due to the license already being implemented, the PDF file can be shown in high quality on Apple devices.

What can I do about it?
To allow your users to view the file in the highest possible quality it's best to have them open the file externally by clicking the button on the top-right corner as shown on the screenshot that can be found below. This'll present the user with one or more suggested app(s) that can be used to open the file. Most Android devices already have an app installed that can open PDF files.