Embed PDF Viewer
by Andy Fragen · Blocks
Also makes 12 other plugins · 52.8K+ installs across the portfolio →
Embed a PDF from the Media Library or elsewhere via oEmbed or as a block into an iframe tag.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 89/100
no flags
Active installs
20K+
≈29K estimated
Momentum
-9%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: “block” isn't earning a slot. You list it, but you're not in the first 24 results for that search. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
89 health vs 71 average across 2,526 Blocks plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →5.8%
of downloads still active
At least 20K of 345.5K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Blocks plugin keeps 2.1%, across 1,580 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Blocks plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 4 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Well tuned across the board
Updated 81 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.7★ over 19 reviews, smoothed to 4.27★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
1 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
42
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.1
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
28%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
+0.1
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| embed your tag | #1 | #1 | up 2 |
| viewer your tag | #1 | #1 | up 2 |
| embed pdf | #2 | #4 | up 1 |
| pdf viewer | #2 | #3 | up 1 |
| embed media | #1 | #2 | 0 |
| pdf your tag | #4 | #4 | up 1 |
| oembed your tag | #8 | #10 | down 1 |
| embed the one | #3 | #4 | up 1 |
| pdf block | #5 | #4 | 0 |
| embed block | #4 | #3 | 0 |
| wp pdf | #4 | #4 | 0 |
| wp to pdf | #5 | #6 | 0 |
| iframe | #13 | #14 | down 3 |
| pdf embed | #6 | #7 | down 1 |
| pdf plugin | #6 | #9 | 0 |
| page to pdf | #6 | #7 | up 1 |
| wordpress pdf | #8 | #11 | 0 |
| wordpress to pdf | #8 | #11 | up 1 |
| pdf wordpress plugin | #10 | #14 | down 1 |
| wordpress pdf plugin | #10 | #12 | down 1 |
| block your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
58 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 38 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 1 of its tags isn't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- “block” isn't earning a slot. You list it, but you're not in the first 24 results for that search. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
- Already on top for “embed pdf” and “pdf viewer”. #2 and #2 without listing them. A tag would change little there; your slots are better spent on a search you don't yet win.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,489 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 33.3K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
4
releases in the last 12 months
3mo ago
latest release · v2.5.1 · 12 Aug 2026
34
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “20K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 3.9 years ago; the previous band took 21 months to cross, which places it about 90% of the way through.
Install history since 6 Jul 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Abdul qadir2.3y ago
This plugin save my 2 days coding task. If this plugin is not there i have to code this.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ yu4nf3n2.6y ago
Works great on web but when I try to access the website via mobile browser, the pdf has no preview available. BTW, I’m using WordPress 6.4.3. Thank you for your effort with this PDF plugin it is a big help and easy to use.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ melissajclark3.0y ago
Love how easy it is to embed a PDF using the Block Editor and this plugin. It’s perfect.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ grunk19053.5y ago
Having tried with a few other PDF embed viewers, this was the one that didn’t add a watermark (EmbedPress), require some sort of paid upgrade (3d flipbook), add an unnecessary ‘Download” button (wordpress inbuilt viewer), or involve technical skills using the shortcode feature (PDF Viewer and PDF.js Viewer). Really glad to have found it, and thanks to those who developed it!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Masum Billah3.5y ago
Very Useful
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ pwhenderson3.8y ago
Simple is what we were looking for. Simple is what we got. Works great. Tku
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ pannetouch4.3y ago
Scroll, and page selection
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ pannetouch4.3y ago
Usefull
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- 2026-08-12 Version 2.5.1 add .distignore for deployment 2.5.1
- 2026-08-12 Version 2.5.0 modernize block to current Gutenberg standards (block.json, useBlockProps, block-scoped CSS) update build tooling to @wordpress/scripts 32 and Node 20, build in CI fix JS translations, load styles only when block or oEmb 2.5.0
- 2025-02-21 Version 2.4.8 use wp_safe_remote_get() 2.4.8
- 2025-02-05 Version 2.4.7 validate destination URL for oEmbed add max-height: 500px; to PDF display 2.4.7
- 2024-11-01 Version 2.4.6 remove load_plugin_textdomain() 2.4.6
- 2024-08-16 Version 2.4.4 refactor $description in dynamic_render_callback() , who knew the title attribute could be not set update requirements, PHP 7.4+, WP 6.0 2.4.4
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 3 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (2.5.1). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 4.4 Embed PDF Viewer <= 2.3.1 - Authenticated (Editor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2024-12-19 CVE-2024-56256 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.3.1 Patched in 2.4.0
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Embed PDF Viewer <= 2.4.4 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via height and width Parameters ↗2024-10-08 CVE-2024-9451 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.4.4 Patched in 2.4.5
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 13 languages, 0 at 90% or more
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
3 of 8 pass · checked 29 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Embed a PDF from the Media Library or elsewhere via oEmbed or as a block into an iframe tag."
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Block editor.
- ! Headings and lists 1 heading and 0 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ! Enough to quote 659 characters of description; under 1,000 there is little to quote.
- ✓ Tags match the text All 5 tags appear in the text.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2022-12-25 10K+ → 20K+ up after 632 days in tier
- 2021-04-02 9K+ → 10K+ up after 55 days in tier
- 2021-02-06 8K+ → 9K+ up after 70 days in tier
- 2020-11-28 7K+ → 8K+ up after 88 days in tier
- 2020-09-01 6K+ → 7K+ up after 152 days in tier
- 2020-04-02 5K+ → 6K+ up after 115 days in tier
- 2019-12-09 4K+ → 5K+ up after 96 days in tier
- 2019-09-04 3K+ → 4K+ up after 43 days in tier
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
PDF.js Viewer 20K+ installs · 4.3★ · 3 shared tags A -
Embedly 2K+ installs · 3.6★ · 3 shared tags B -
PDF Embedder – PDF Viewer & Embed PDF Files for WordPress 300K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
Disable Embeds 10K+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags A -
PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg 10K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A -
PDF viewer for Elementor & Gutenberg 9K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags B
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Embed PDF Viewer into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/embed-pdf-viewer" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Embed PDF Viewer — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Embed PDF Viewer: 20K+ active installs, 4.7★ (19 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-01. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/embed-pdf-viewer
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