Putting PDFs onto iPad without using iCloud

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Putting PDFs onto iPad without using iCloud

I have a whole pile of old technical books that I need to curate and they have been provided to me in PDF/A form. When I attach the iPad to the Mac I get the ability to synchronise iBooks on the Mac (that has the PDFs I am trying to organize) but when I try to synchronise PDFs nothing happens. The only way I have been able to get the iPad to "see" the PDFs is to put them into iCloud on the Mac and then, after some delay, they start to appear on the iPad(s)

However, under the terms of my copyright usage for these texts I am allowed to copy them onto a device to assess them, but not upload them onto a "cloud" service. So I was wondering if there was a way to "make" the Mac and iPad do what it looks they are supposed to?

MacBook Pro Apple Silicon

Posted on Aug 27, 2022 05:41 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

LotusPilot

Community+ 2025

Level 10

299,528 points

Aug 28, 2022 09:26 AM in response to landscape_artist

Clearly, using iCloud to synchronise your PDF files between Mac and iPad will “technically” violate your licence agreement; while iCloud will provide synchronisation services, it will also facilitate access to the files directly from the iCloud “copy” of the documents.

Possible alternatives to consider are direct AirDrop of files between Mac and iPad, or consider using Finder or iTunes (as appropriate for the installed version of macOS) to transfer files between devices.

A further alternative might be to use a USB JumpDrive to transfer files between devices. Depending upon your iPad model, the iPad will either have a Lightning or USB-C port - and may therefore require either an Adapter or USB hub to connect the USB Storage device. If your iPad has a Lightning port, you’ll need an Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter:

Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter

https://store.apple.com/uk/xc/product/MK0W2ZM/A

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Answer 2

Sep 18, 2022 01:59 PM in response to landscape_artist

Well, in the end, I did this; I installed a web server on the Mac and then navigated to the web page on the iPad and saved the PDFs to the iPad, that way the data has not been in the "cloud" or left my premises. Saving the PDF from Safari shows up in iBooks. Simple enough to do, but a lot more complicated than iBooks Sync through the OS...

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Answer 3

Sep 5, 2022 02:49 PM in response to LotusPilot

Thanks for the help, but I don't want to pay for functionality that I don't need to overcome a problem created by Apple. They own the entire chain from hardware, firmware and software on both devices. Just like having to pay for an Apple extension cable so I can use my M1 MBP on my lap without getting continuously stung...

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Answer 4

Sep 18, 2022 01:56 PM in response to LotusPilot

No, it is an Apple problem when I own a Mac and an iPad and I put the PDF into iBooks on the Mac and synchronize between Mac and iPad the iBooks on the Mac are supposed to copy over to the iPad, but they don't. Why offer the capability in the OS if it doesn't work?

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Answer 5

Sep 5, 2022 02:46 PM in response to muguy

Yeah, I'll have to go back and ask for a temporary exclusion. Shame the Mac doesn't just work as expected ☹️

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Answer 6

Sep 18, 2022 01:57 PM in response to babowa

Why? Simply convenience. I want to read them wherever I am and not be tied to my Mac or MacBook.

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Answer 7

muguy

Level 10

89,984 points

Aug 27, 2022 08:15 PM in response to landscape_artist

You should be able to sync pdf files by connecting your phone to your Mac and selecting pdfs in books under files.

You could open each file individually and AirDrop it to yourself too. Personally, I'd just sync through iCloud.

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Answer 8

Sep 5, 2022 05:19 PM in response to landscape_artist

The problem of which you describe was that of potentially violating terms of licence - this not being a technical issue “owned” by Apple.

The licensing problem can be avoided through direct transfer to the iPad without reliance upon third-party cloud services… hence the suggestion.

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Answer 9

babowa

Level 9

78,550 points

Sep 5, 2022 06:09 PM in response to landscape_artist

Out of curiosity, since you are going to work on them, why can't you just work on them on the Mac? You avoid the problem altogether.

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Putting PDFs onto iPad without using iCloud

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