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Version: Version 5 beta

Release notes

Learn about the changes, additions, and fixes in the PDF Viewer SDK.

Version 5​

Version 5.12.1​

18 December 2025

Added​

  • Users can add text annotations (free-text notes) to PDFs, supporting rich text formatting with options for font family, font size, text color, alignment, and styles such as bold, italic, and underline. Text annotations can be edited inline, moved by dragging, or deleted.
  • Users can now add image annotations to PDFs by selecting and placing an image on the document. Existing image annotations can be moved, resized, deleted, or locked.
  • With this release, the PDF Web Viewer enables developers to create custom plugins using a dedicated plugin API. Developers can register, activate, and deactivate plugins, create layers for drawing on the document view, and add buttons to control plugin state.
  • The PDF Web SDK exposes accessibility events and keyboard interactions through the TextSelectionPlugin. The cursorPositionChanged event enables tracking of cursor position changes. The keyDown event exposes keyboard interactions. In text selection mode, users can click on text to display a cursor. They can move the text using the arrow keys. Users can select text with Shift + Arrow, navigate word by word with Ctrl or Cmd + Arrow, and select word by word with Shift + Ctrl or Cmd + Arrow.
  • Added support for redaction annotations as a TextMarkupType in the PDF Web SDK. As a result, developers can implement redaction annotation creation in their applications.

Changed​

  • The textSelectionChanged event now provides additional geometry data. This includes selection quadrilaterals with page numbers, start and end page numbers, and the selected text content. The following method was changed:

    The following methods changed:

    textSelectionChanged()
    From: textSelectionChanged: (selectedText: string) => void
    To: textSelectionChanged: (textSelectionData: TextSelection) => void

  • The PDF Web Viewer enhanced web components for improved accessibility, introducing updated button, menu, dropdown, and toolbar components. All components are now fully keyboard accessible and screen reader compatible.

    The following methods changed:

    hideComponents()
    From: hideComponents: (components: HideableComponentConfigName[]) => void
    To: hideComponents: (paths: string[] | string[][]) => void
    showComponents()
    From: showComponents: (components: HideableComponentConfigName[]) => void
    To: showComponents: (paths: string[] | string[][]) => void
    overrideButtonBehavior()
    From: overrideButtonBehavior: (buttonName: string, eventName: string, callback: () => void ) => void
    To: overrideButtonBehavior: (path: string | string[], eventName: OverridableButtonEventType, callback: () => void) => void;

Version 5.11.1​

16 December 2025

Fixed​

  • Fixed license handling to ensure full offline operation.

Version 5.11.0​

17 November 2025

Added​

  • Users can choose whether to include annotations when printing a PDF. The print dialog contains an Include annotations toggle, which is deselected by default. When enabled, the printed PDF includes annotations; when disabled, annotations are not included in the resulting PDF output.
  • With this update, users can select and then modify the following annotation types as specified:
    • Stamp annotations: Delete, resize, move, and lock.
    • Line and arrow annotations: Delete, resize, move, lock, change color, width, and endings.
    • Cloud annotations: Delete, resize, move, lock, change outline color, fill color, and outline width.
    • Highlight annotations: Delete and change color.
  • Custom layers support an optional dispose method for lifecycle management. The PDF Web SDK automatically calls this method when the viewer removes pages from the viewport, allowing proper cleanup of resources and event listeners.

Fixed​

  • Line annotation arrows render with the correct fill color, matching the line stroke color.
  • The PdfTools.documentView.pageChanged event triggers correctly when scrolling or changing pages.
  • The PdfTools.toolbar.zoom.updated event triggers for all zoom level changes. As a result, zoom levels function correctly when users adjust them using a touchpad or mouse wheel.

Version 5.10.0​

23 October 2025

Added​

  • The PDF Viewer SDK introduces a print dialog with configurable dots per inch (DPI) settings. The viewer now prints PDFs with vector graphics and text preservation, ensuring high-quality printouts, rather than rasterized, low-resolution bitmaps.
  • The toolbar and sidebar are now responsive, automatically adapting to smaller screen sizes. On mobile devices, the left toolbar moves to the top under the fixed header, while the viewer hides the sidebar by default to maximize viewing space. Users can access the sidebar through toggle controls when needed.
  • Line and arrow annotations now support opacity customization. Users can adjust the opacity level when drawing or creating these annotations for better visual control and document clarity.

Fixed​

  • Touch gesture interactions on mobile devices now work correctly. Users can scroll the canvas using swipe gestures and zoom in or out using pinch gestures across iOS and Android devices.
  • Line annotation previews now correctly respect the current zoom level. The preview during creation matches the final annotation size and position at all zoom levels, eliminating visual inconsistencies.
  • Fixed a memory leak that occurred when loading and navigating large PDFs. The viewer no longer accumulates excess memory, preventing browser crashes and performance degradation during extended use.
  • Cloud annotations (annotations with stylized, scalloped borders) are visible in the annotations panel. They display with the same design and behavior as other annotation types, including the cloud icon, metadata, and clickable navigation.

Version 5.9.0​

3 October 2025

Added​

  • The PDF Viewer SDK now supports line annotations, enabling users to draw straight lines on PDF documents. Users and developers can customize them with colors, thickness, and line patterns for use cases such as directional markings or visual separation.
  • Users can now create arrow annotations to point directions to specific elements in PDF documents. These are a type of line annotation with an arrowhead at the start and/or end, useful for reviews, comments, or instructional documents.
  • Cloud annotations have been introduced, allowing users to highlight areas with a stylized, scalloped border. Users and developers can customize the border color, fill color, and line width.
  • A new annotation-changed event system triggers when users add, modify, or delete annotations. The system includes a reference to the annotation object for inspection and manipulation, with safeguards against recursive triggering.
  • The PDF Viewer SDK now includes a dispose method that cleans all viewer resources, including controllers, document views, annotations, and event listeners. As a result, memory leaks are prevented and repeated creation and disposal of viewers without performance issues is enabled.

Changed​

  • Refactored the PDF Viewer SDK API to provide a more powerful, scalable, and easier-to-use interface, simplifying extension and customization.

Fixed​

  • You can now load viewer instances simultaneously. Each instance is isolated from others, preventing interference and conflicts.
  • Previously, reopening a document with an active plugin (for example, text markup or notes) caused deactivation issues. This release resolves these issues, allowing you to activate and deactivate plugins reliably. As a result, plugin activation and deactivation now work correctly across document sessions.

Version 5.8.0​

16 September 2025

Added​

  • With this release, the PDF Viewer SDK presents a new annotation viewing panel.
  • Viewer users can now navigate documents using a clickable list of headings (also known as the document outline, or bookmarks).

Fixed​

  • As of this release, the PDF Viewer SDK delivers improved support for large files. This was achieved by raising memory limits and resolving a related processing issue.

Version 5.7.0​

03 July 2025

Changed​

  • You can now work with multiple interactive layers simultaneously, instead of being limited to just one. This enhancement enables the creation of more dynamic and layered PDF experiences.

Fixed​

  • The worker thread is now properly cleaned up when the WorkerController is disposed, preventing unnecessary background activity.
  • Page re-rendering now functions correctly after annotations are moved across pages, ensuring that changes appear as expected.
  • The pdfToolsWebSdk.version property previously returned the value dev. As of this update, the pdfToolsWebSdk.version property returns the correct version string.

Version 5.6.0​

09 June 2025

Added​

  • Viewer users can now add text stamp annotations by choosing from the predefined set of stamps, including texts such as Approved, Confidential, Draft, and many others.
  • A loading spinner is displayed while the PDF Viewer SDK is opening a file to provide a progress indicator.
  • As of this update, viewer users can create text markup annotation gestures on mobile devices.

Fixed​

  • Previously, users could not scroll upward when using the fit-to-page mode. This issue has been resolved.
  • The background visual for the zoom slider was missing. With this update, the correct background is now restored.
  • The pdfToolsWebSdk.version property previously returned value undefined. As of this update, the pdfToolsWebSdk.version property returns the correct version string.

Version 5.5.0​

29 April 2025

Added​

  • The PDF Viewer SDK lets you implement text markup annotations, enabling users to highlight, underline, strike through, and create squiggly line annotations in documents.
  • With this update, the PDF Viewer SDK includes an accessibility layer, improving usability for users who rely on assistive technologies. For more information, review Enable accessibility layer section.
  • You can add custom headers using HTTP requests when opening a document, improving integration flexibility. For more information, review Provide custom HTTP headers when opening a document section.
  • As of this update, the viewer users can hide the annotation bar.

Fixed​

  • Previously, under certain circumstances, a part of a sticky note bar remained displayed upon closing a sticky note. This update resolves the described issue.
  • To improve consistency and maintainability of the component’s styling, the CSS variables referenced in the styles are now defined adequately with default values.

Version 5.4.0​

26 March 2025

Added​

  • You can now drag sticky note annotations between pages.
  • You can now customize the color theme of the PDF Viewer SDK using the following set of 6 CSS variables:
    • --background-color
    • --color-text-primary
    • --color-text-secondary
    • --hover-background-color
    • --secondary-color
    • --active-color

Changed​

  • In the PDF Viewer SDK API:
    • Functions responsible for emitting events have been renamed from eventname() to emitEventname(). As a result, it is clear that the purpose of these functions is to emit events.
    • The parameter name for callback functions has been changed from fn to callback.
  • New PDF Web SDK API methods simplify conversion between PDF and document viewpoints, making custom layer implementation easier. For more details, review Page class API reference.

Fixed​

  • An issue where the cursor was stuck in the loading state has been resolved.
  • Previously, the thumbnails would not have been updated if the document had been changed. With this release, the issue has been resolved.

Version 5.3.0​

27 February 2025

Added​

  • You can now interact with link annotations that navigate you to external resources or specific locations within the PDF.
  • Developers can now implement custom text markup annotations through the PDF Web SDK. This feature lets you create, edit, and delete highlights, underlines, squiggly lines, and strikethroughs, as well as customize their color. For more information, review Class: TextMarkupAnnotation in the PDF Web SDK API references.

Version 5.2.0​

7 February 2025

Added​

  • You can now add, create, edit, and delete sticky note annotations. A new annotation contextual menu lets you add text, edit the color of annotations, and lock the annotation to prevent accidental edits.

Changed​

  • With this update, the new layering mechanism separates search and text selection. As a result, the performance of the PDF Viewer SDK is now improved.

Version 5.1.1​

21 January 2025

Added​

  • You can now override the save button behavior to initiate custom actions. For more information, review Modify save button behavior section.

Changed​

  • Previously, when you opened a corrupt PDF, the PDF Viewer SDK auto-repair feature tried to fix the corrupted file. As a consequence, fixing the file could invalidate some digital signatures. With this update, you can disable the auto-repair with a boolean to prevent unwanted modifications of the original documents. For more information, review Disable auto-repair feature section.

Version 5.1.0​

18 November 2024

Added​

  • The PDF Viewer SDK can now navigate you to the selected search result.

Fixed​

  • PDF Viewer SDK Licensing is now pointing to the correct endpoint.
  • Before this update, there was a race condition when initializing the PDF Viewer SDK with the Angular framework. With this update, the issue was fixed.
  • Under certain circumstances, the PDF Viewer SDK could capture events outside of the canvas. As of this update, the underlying issue has been fixed, and the canvas size is the only space where you can capture events.
  • The API references and their generation process have been updated.

Version 5.0.0​

11 September 2024

Added​

  • The PDF Viewer SDK architecture was rewritten entirely. As a result, the SDK now consists of two packages:

    • PDF Web Viewer: An SDK that lets you implement PDF viewer capabilities with search.
    • PDF Web SDK: The functionality the PDF Web Viewer requires and additional features that let you completely customize the SDK.

    It’s recommended that you try the PDF Web Viewer first. The PDF Web Viewer lets you customize some functionalities. You can implement your own PDF viewer using the PDF Web SDK if you have specific requirements. Implementing the PDF Web SDK lets you create a customized viewer from scratch but requires more development effort than the full PDF Viewer SDK.

  • The PDF Web Viewer is now working on both desktop and mobile.

  • Only the free Viewer-only version is available.

Previous versions​

Version incompatibility

While the PDF Viewer SDK version 5 introduces new and improved functionality, it is also incompatible with implementations of the PDF Viewer SDK version 4. Hence this page provides release notes for version 5.0.0 and above. For previous release notes, refer to the version 4 release notes.