This article will share with you 3 very feasible ways to embed videos in PDFs, with or without Adobe Acrobat.
How To Embed Video in PDF
When delivering a presentation or demonstration, incorporating video explanations or demonstrations within your PDF can greatly enhance the understanding of your shared content.
This article will show you how to embed videos in PDFs, with or without Adobe Acrobat.
👉If you also need to edit PDF files online, make sure to try PDFgear’s free online PDF editor.
If you want to embed a playable video in PDF, you can add it as Rich Media with Adobe Acrobat. Adobe Acrobat is a long-standing professional PDF editor, with editing, cropping, and combining PDF functions.
Rich Media is a method of information dissemination that incorporates elements such as animations, sounds, videos, and interactivity. It is a type of media designed for online platforms.
Adding video to PDF is a breeze with the help of Adobe Acrobat DC. However, please note that it requires a paid subscription to use Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. To get started, download Adobe Acrobat Pro and install it.
Double-click the Adobe Acrobat DC desktop shortcut > Locate “File” > Click “Open…” > Select a PDF to upload.
Import PDF to Adobe Acrobat DC
Go to the “Tools” button on the top-left corner. (or you can click the right toolbar in “More Tools”) > Click “Rich Media”.
You have 3 choices for adding: Add 3D, Add Video, or Add Sound. (Note: You need a paid subscription to use this feature)
Locate the “Rich Media” Function Button in Adobe Acrobat DC
Choose the location of the video to add by browsing. Select the location where you want to add and place the video with your mouse.
Embed Video to PDF in Adobe Acrobat DC
To embed a YouTube video in PDF using Adobe Acrobat Pro, the steps are similar to inserting Rich Media into PDF. The only difference is to select URL instead of local file when selecting where you want to insert the video from.
1. Open the YouTube video that you want to embed in your PDF and copy its URL.
2. Open Adobe Acrobat Pro and open the PDF file you want to add the video to.
3. Go to the “Tools” menu and select “Interactive Objects” > “Video”. This will open the “Add Video” dialog box.
4. Select “Add Online Video” and paste the YouTube video URL into the “URL” field.
Embed YouTube Video into PDF
5. Customize the playback options, such as whether the video should autoplay or repeat.
6. Adjust the size and position of the video widget in your PDF document.
7. Save your PDF document.
Actually, it’s currently not possible to embed videos into PDF for free without Acrobat. That said, you can add video hyperlinks into PDF without Acrobat for free. The added link in the PDF will lead you directly to the video location.
Microsoft Word is a word processing program in the Office suite. Although it focuses on providing specialized processing of Word documents, it also provides different solutions for PDF: convert the file format, have PDF read to you, write on PDF, and so on.
Adding a hyperlink in Microsoft Word to link to a video only requires three steps as follows.
Double-click to open the Microsoft Word program > Navigate to “File” > “Open” > “Browse” to select and open PDF files.
Import PDF to Microsoft Word
Use the mouse to select the anchor text, you have two ways to add the hyperlink.
1. Click “Insert” > “Link” to enter the website > Select the location of the local video folder.
2. Or right-click the mouse and select “Link”. (Shortcut “Ctrl+K”) > Type the “Address” of the video > Click “OK” to add a video in the PDF.
Add Video Hyperlink via Microsoft Word
After saving the document, you can upload the file to PDFgear Word to PDF Online Converter for format conversion.
Attachments are often used to add descriptions of related materials. This includes documents, pictures, audio, video or group builds, and so on. Therefore, if you have saved the video to the local device, then you can add the attachment to insert the video into your PDF file.
Adobe Acrobat as a professional tool to provide PDF solutions has given you a very detailed video embedded in PDF to explain the steps.
Select the PDF file > Click the right mouse button and hover over “Open with” > Select “Adobe Acrobat”.
Alternatively, you can set Adobe Acrobat as the default application for opening PDF files.
Open PDF in Adobe Acrobat
Click “Edit PDF” > Select “More” > Click “Attach File” in the toolbar above to add the video file.
Add Videos to PDF as Attachments via Adobe Acrobat
If the video in your PDF isn’t playing when clicked, it might be due to a disabled video or an unsupported format. To fix it, use a compatible video format (such as MP4), optimize the video file size, or try different PDF software that supports the video format.
Yes, embedding a video can significantly increase the size of your PDF file. To minimize the file size, you can optimize the video settings and choose a compression option while saving the PDF.
Yes, you can embed multiple videos in a PDF as long as you have enough space and the video file formats are compatible. However, the more videos you add, the larger the file size, and the slower the loading.
Unfortunately, not all PDF readers support video playback. However, you can increase the likelihood that your video will play in most readers by using a compatible video format (such as MP4), optimizing the video file size, and providing clear instructions or links for accessing the video online.
Adobe Acrobat Pro is compatible with MOV and MP4 files. Here’s how to add an MP4 to a PDF: Click “Rich Media” in the “Tool” menu bar > Select an area and a pop-up will appear > Upload the MP4 video from your device by clicking “Browse” > Finish by clicking “OK.”
Given the pricey Adobe Acrobat subscription, it might not be cost-effective if you rarely add videos to PDFs. In that scenario, opt for free alternatives like Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Just open the PDF and insert the video as a hyperlink in the document. Easy and budget-friendly!
Here is a video demonstrating these steps for your reference.
Embedding videos in PDF documents is a frequently performed task, particularly during training or product demonstrations. These embedded videos are valuable for providing detailed or step-by-step explanations, making the overall sharing experience more engaging and comprehensible. Now that you are familiar with three methods of embedding videos into PDFs, feel free to give them a try.