How do I embed a PDFMonkey document preview in my app?

Use the preview_url field from the API response and place it in an iframe: . The viewer renders the PDF with no toolbars, controls, or branding.

When is the preview_url available for a PDFMonkey document?

The preview_url is populated as soon as the document is created, even when the status is still draft. Unlike download_url, you don’t need to wait for generation to complete.

What is the difference between preview_url and download_url in PDFMonkey?

preview_url is an embeddable PDF viewer available at any status and does not expire. download_url is a temporary signed download link available only after successful generation and valid for 1 hour.

Embedding a Document Preview

Last updated March 23, 2026

Every document returned by the API includes a preview_url field. This URL loads a lightweight viewer that you can embed in an <iframe> to display the document without leaving your application.

When it’s available

The preview_url is populated as soon as the document is created – even when the status is draft. Unlike download_url, you don’t need to wait for generation to complete.

Embedding the preview

Drop the URL into an iframe:

<iframe src="DOCUMENT_PREVIEW_URL" width="100%" height="600"></iframe>

What the viewer looks like

The preview opens in a minimal viewer that simply renders the PDF. There are no toolbars, no controls, and no PDFMonkey branding – your users see the document and nothing else.

Use cases

Draft approval – let stakeholders review a document before you finalize it
In-app viewer – show receipts, certificates, or invoices directly inside your product
Pre-download preview – display the PDF alongside a download button
Internal support – give your team a quick way to inspect a customer’s document

Important notes

preview_url is not a download URL. To retrieve the generated file, use download_url.
Each time a document is saved, an internal checksum updates and the preview_url changes accordingly, so browsers and iframes always load the latest version without caching issues.
Templates also expose a preview_url – see the API reference for details.

Comparison with other URL fields

Field	Available when	Purpose	Expires
`preview_url`	Always (including `draft`)	Embeddable PDF viewer	No
`download_url`	`success` only	Temporary signed download link	After 1 hour
`public_share_link`	`success` (Pro+ and Premium)	Permanent public URL	No

See also: The Download URL – Share Links

Frequently asked questions

How do I embed a PDFMonkey document preview in my app?: Use the preview_url field from the API response and place it in an iframe: <iframe src="DOCUMENT_PREVIEW_URL"></iframe>. The viewer renders the PDF with no toolbars, controls, or branding.
When is the preview_url available for a PDFMonkey document?: The preview_url is populated as soon as the document is created, even when the status is still draft. Unlike download_url, you don’t need to wait for generation to complete.
What is the difference between preview_url and download_url in PDFMonkey?: preview_url is an embeddable PDF viewer available at any status and does not expire. download_url is a temporary signed download link available only after successful generation and valid for 1 hour.