Simple Google Docs Viewer
Easily embed documents like PDFs, Word documents, and Powerpoint in your site using Google Docs Viewer.
The facts
- Rating
- 3.1★ from 8
- Active installs
- 300+
- Price
- Free
- Last updated
- 22 Mar 2017
- Added
- Dec 2012
- Requires WP
- 3.0
- Tested up to
- WP 4.7.35
- Downloads
- 21,299
Our analysis
AI-assistedSimple Google Docs Viewer is a WordPress plugin that allows you to embed documents supported by Google Docs, such as PDFs and various Microsoft Office formats, using a shortcode. You can specify the file URL and optionally set the width and height of the viewer, as well as the document's language for right-to-left settings.
This plugin is suitable for users who need to display documents directly on their WordPress site without requiring visitors to download them. It is particularly useful for educational or professional websites that share resources in document format.
Best for: This plugin suits educators, professionals, or anyone needing to share documents on their WordPress site.
What it does well
- ✓Free to use from the WordPress.org directory
- ✓Supports multiple document types including PDF and DOCX
- ✓Allows customisation of viewer dimensions
- ✓Includes options for right-to-left language support
Where it falls short
- •Last updated in March 2017, may not be compatible with newer WordPress versions
- •Rating of 3.1 out of 5 indicates mixed user satisfaction
- •Limited active installations at 300
Verdict
Simple Google Docs Viewer provides a straightforward way to embed documents, but its outdated status and mixed ratings may be a concern for potential users.
From the developer
Maor Chasen's own description of Simple Google Docs Viewer, lightly tidied.
Easily embed documents supported by Google Docs (PDF/DOC/DOCX/PPTX/etc)with a simple shortcode [gviewer]
Ex. [gviewer file=”https://example.com/thisismyfile.pdf”]
A full list of attributes:
file— Required. The URL of the file you wish to showwidth— Optional. The desired width of the viewer in pixels. If no width is set, the value of the theme’s$content_widthwill be used. If no value is set, the width will default to 600 px.height— Optional. The desired height of the viewer in pixels. If height is set, the height will 1.2 times the width. For example, if the width is 100 px, the height will be 120 px.language— The language of the document. If the document is written in a right-to-left (RTL) language (like Hebrew and Arabic), specifying the language will apply RTL settings.
Another way to embed a Google Document is by using the template tag provided by the plugin in the source code. Here’s an example:
<?php
echo simple_gviewer_embed( 'https://.../file.pdf', $args );
The second argument, $args, is an associative array. Keys can be found in the list above.