Free PDF sample files
Fixed-layout documents that look the same on every device. The most common format for upload forms that accept documents. Download valid PDF test files in 9 exact sizes, from 5 KB to 10 MB, each with a checksum.
- Extension
- MIME type
- application/pdf
- Kind
- Binary
- Category
- Documents
PDF files by size
Every file below is a valid Portable Document Format file of exactly the stated size. Open a file's page for its checksum and contents, and to preview it in your browser before downloading.
| File | Size | Contents | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 KB PDF samplesample-pdf-5kb.pdf | 5 KB5,120 bytes | Pages: 1 | Download PDF |
| 10 KB PDF samplesample-pdf-10kb.pdf | 10 KB10,240 bytes | Pages: 2 | Download PDF |
| 25 KB PDF samplesample-pdf-25kb.pdf | 25 KB25,600 bytes | Pages: 5 | Download PDF |
| 50 KB PDF samplesample-pdf-50kb.pdf | 50 KB51,200 bytes | Pages: 10 | Download PDF |
| 100 KB PDF samplesample-pdf-100kb.pdf | 100 KB102,400 bytes | Pages: 19 | Download PDF |
| 500 KB PDF samplesample-pdf-500kb.pdf | 500 KB512,000 bytes | Pages: 10 | Download PDF |
| 1 MB PDF samplesample-pdf-1mb.pdf | 1 MB1,048,576 bytes | Pages: 10 | Download PDF |
| 5 MB PDF samplesample-pdf-5mb.pdf | 5 MB5,242,880 bytes | Pages: 11 | Download PDF |
| 10 MB PDF samplesample-pdf-10mb.pdf | 10 MB10,485,760 bytes | Pages: 13 | Download PDF |
More PDF samples
Hand-designed files with realistic content or a specific edge case.
| File | Size | Contents | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sample business report PDF (multi-page)sample-business-report.pdf | 399 KB408,822 bytes | Page size: A4 (595 x 842 pt) | Download PDF |
| Sample invoice PDF (single page)sample-invoice.pdf | 2.25 KB2,304 bytes | Pages: 1 | Download PDF |
What is a PDF file?
PDF describes each page as a fixed arrangement of text, vector graphics and images, so a document prints and displays identically everywhere. It was created by Adobe in 1993 and has been an open ISO standard (ISO 32000) since 2008.
A PDF file is a sequence of numbered objects followed by a cross-reference table that tells a reader where each object starts. That structure is why a truncated PDF usually fails to open: the table at the end of the file is missing.
How to recognise a PDF file
| Extension | |
|---|---|
| MIME type | application/pdf |
| Standard | ISO 32000-1 (PDF 1.7) and ISO 32000-2 (PDF 2.0) |
| Structure | Header, body objects, cross-reference table, trailer |
| Compression | Optional per stream (Flate, DCT, JBIG2 and others) |
| Can contain | Text, fonts, images, forms, JavaScript, attachments, encryption |
What to test for
These are the behaviours that most often go wrong when software handles PDF files.
- A file cut off before its final "%%EOF" marker usually cannot be opened, which makes PDF a good format for detecting truncated transfers.
- PDFs can embed JavaScript and attachments, so upload handlers should scan them rather than trust the extension. The samples here contain neither.
- Page count and file size are unrelated: one scanned page can be larger than a 300-page text document.
Strengths of PDF
- Looks identical on every device and in print.
- An open ISO standard with readers built into every browser.
Limitations of PDF
- Hard to edit and awkward to extract structured data from.
- Text does not reflow, so pages are tiring to read on a phone.
Typical uses of PDF test files
- Testing document upload forms and size limits
- Checking in-browser PDF previews
- Verifying text extraction and page counts
- Exercising virus scanning and content inspection
Software that opens PDF
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari (built-in viewers)
- Apple Preview
- Foxit Reader
- pdf.js, PDFium and Poppler libraries
Specifications
Related
PDF sample files: questions
- Do the sample PDFs contain selectable text?
- Yes. Every sample has real text set in the standard Helvetica font, so you can test text extraction and search. The larger files add full-page images to reach their size.
- Are the PDFs password-protected or signed?
- No. They are unencrypted, unsigned and contain no forms, scripts or attachments.
- What is the MIME type of a PDF file?
- The MIME type is application/pdf. The file extension is .pdf.
- Is a sample PDF file the same as a dummy or example PDF file?
- Yes. Sample, test, dummy and example PDF files are different names for the same thing: a PDF file with known contents that stands in for a real one. Any file on this page will do wherever a tutorial or a test plan asks for a dummy PDF file.