PDF.js Viewer
by Ben Lawson · Uncategorized
Embed a beautiful PDF viewer into pages.
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 88/100
no flags
Active installs
20K+
≈29K estimated
Momentum
+6%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “embed” and “pdf” for “pdf viewer” and “node”. “embed” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “pdf viewer” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “pdf” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “node” sits at #13 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
88 health vs 58 average across 25,734 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →4.3%
of downloads still active
At least 20K of 462K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Uncategorized plugin keeps 0.6%, across 17,764 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Uncategorized 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 9 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.
Well optimized
Most to gain: Support resolution
Updated 5 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.0.8, the current branch or newer
4.4★ over 53 reviews, smoothed to 4.25★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
0 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
To rank higher: Mark more forum threads resolved — the resolved ratio feeds the ranking.
Get the full rank-higher report →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.
45
Momentum
Holding steady
+0.2
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
33%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
+0.2
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| mozilla your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| pdfjs your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| post viewer | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| viewer your tag | #3 | #3 | up 1 |
| pdf viewer | #7 | #4 | down 2 |
| document viewer | #6 | #6 | up 1 |
| readme | #10 | #8 | up 2 |
| fullscreen | #11 | #14 | down 2 |
| responsive pdf viewer | #7 | #6 | up 1 |
| node | #13 | #8 | 0 |
| sass | #13 | #11 | up 1 |
| callout | #14 | #7 | up 1 |
| encode | #15 | #12 | up 1 |
| internationalization | #16 | #13 | up 1 |
| relative | #21 | #17 | down 3 |
| embed your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| pdf your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
67 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 15 listed. 52 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 2 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “embed” and “pdf” for “pdf viewer” and “node”. “embed” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “pdf viewer” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “pdf” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “node” sits at #13 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 30K · 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.
9
releases in the last 12 months
5d ago
latest release · v3.2.0 · 26 Oct 2026
44
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 4.9 years ago; the previous band took 4.4 years to cross, which places it about 90% of the way through.
Install history since 3 Mar 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ cengoguven1.2y ago
I’ve been using for years and never failed. Simple to use and does the job.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ KeithRowley1.7y ago
I have been usiong a paid pdf plugin but it’s been months now with a bad fault so i tried this – perfect! Thank you very much.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Hub50502.3y ago
I was impressed with the level of support provided with the recent issue where the plugin stopped displaying due to Mozilla’s PDFjs, and they started using mjs files. Thank you for an excellent plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ fulibaba2.3y ago
The plugin doesn’t work when it is updated to version 2.2. Are there any CORS issues?
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ludvakh2.3y ago
Version 2.2 not working on wordpress 6.5.5. And cannot be reactivated after deactivation.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ gmspb2.4y ago
After updating to v 2.2, pdf files are not displayed with a shortcode.I don’t want to underestimate the rating, because the plugin worked great for many years before.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ exceldigital2.4y ago
The plugin is not working. you updated the plugin 5 days ago and now when i open the post, the structure opens but the pdf is not showing like disapears. only the plugin border structure shows. I also tried on my second website but the same problem occured. This topic was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by exceldigital.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ asrarehsan2.5y ago
Very useful and simple.
Read on wp.org ↗
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 3 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (3.2.0). Sites still on an older version should update.
- 2024-05-20 CVE-2024-4367 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.1.8.1 Patched in 2.2
- Patched Medium · 6.4 PDF.js Viewer <= 2.1.7 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Shortcode ↗2023-01-10 CVE-2022-4670 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.1.7 Patched in 2.1.8
- Patched Medium · 5.4 PDF.js Viewer <= 2.0.1 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2021-08-11 CVE-2021-24759 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects < 2.0.2 Patched in 2.0.2
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.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 13 languages, 3 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
6 of 8 pass · checked 26 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Embed a beautiful PDF viewer into pages."
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ✓ Names who it is for Names its audience or use cases ("great for", "if you want").
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Elementor, Gutenberg, Block editor, ACF and 1 more.
- ✓ Headings and lists 46 headings and 47 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 9,681 characters of description.
- ✓ 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
- 2021-12-16 10K+ → 20K+ up after 1609 days in tier
- 2017-07-21 8K+ → 10K+ up after 706 days in tier
- 2015-08-15 9K+ → 8K+ down
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).
-
Embed PDF Viewer 20K+ installs · 4.4★ · 3 shared tags A - S Scribd Doc Embedder 200+ installs · 3.9★ · 3 shared tags D
-
PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg 10K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A -
PDF viewer for Elementor & Gutenberg 10K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags B - V Vanilla PDF Embed 3K+ installs · 4.4★ · 2 shared tags D
-
Embedly 2K+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags B
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for PDF.js Viewer into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/pdfjs-viewer-shortcode" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="PDF.js Viewer — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> PDF.js Viewer: 20K+ active installs, 4.4★ (53 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/pdfjs-viewer-shortcode
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