PDF Reading Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Reading PDFs in ReadSavor is a powerful way to learn, but sometimes you may encounter issues. This guide aims to answer the most common questions about the PDF reading feature.

You can start your PDF reading journey anytime on our homepage.

1. Why can’t I upload my PDF file?

This is usually caused by a few reasons:

File is too large: We have a limit on the size of a single PDF upload (currently 20MB). If your file exceeds this size, please try splitting it into smaller parts.
Corrupted file: The file may have been corrupted during download or transfer. Please try re-downloading or obtaining a new copy of the file.
Network issues: Interrupted network connection during upload can also lead to failure. Please check your network connection and try again.

2. Why is there a waiting period after uploading a PDF?

Unlike plain text, PDF is a complex format. When you upload a PDF file, it goes through a specialized processing procedure:

File Upload: The file needs to be fully uploaded to ReadSavor’s servers.
Cloud Processing: Our servers parse the PDF file, extracting text and layout information, and converting it into a format that the ReadSavor reader can understand.

Both steps require time, especially for larger or more complex files. Please be patient while the processing completes.

3. Why can’t I select or translate text in the PDF?

This is usually related to the type of PDF.

Scanned/Image-based PDF: If your PDF was created by scanning a physical book, the text is actually an image, not selectable characters. ReadSavor currently cannot process this type of PDF.
Complex Layouts: Complex multi-column layouts in some academic papers or magazines can interfere with text selection. We do our best to parse it, but occasional inaccuracies may occur.

4. Why can’t I select text immediately after opening the PDF or quickly turning pages?

This is a normal phenomenon designed to optimize your reading experience.

To allow you to quickly open and browse large PDF files, we use virtualized rendering technology. This means we don’t load all the text layer data for the entire document at once; instead, we prioritize rendering the page you are currently viewing.

Therefore, when you first open a document or jump significantly to a new page, the system needs a few seconds to load and render the text layer in the background. During this time, you may temporarily be unable to select text. Please wait briefly until the text layer is loaded before selecting and translating normally.

5. Why does selecting text in a PDF feel slower than plain text?

This is normal. When you select text on a PDF page, we need to perform a series of complex calculations in the background to accurately locate the coordinates of every character you select. This process takes more time than selecting text on a regular webpage, so you may feel a slight delay. We are continuously optimizing this process to improve the experience.

6. Translation results seem inaccurate or out of context?

The root cause of this issue is usually the PDF text parsing order.

The PDF format itself does not guarantee that the stored order of text matches our natural reading order. For example, in a multi-column layout, our PDF parsing algorithm might read all the content of the first column before reading the second column.

When you select a piece of text that spans different areas, the “context” passed to the AI translation model might be ordered according to its storage in the file, which may differ from the natural reading order you see, leading to translations that seem out of context.

Our team is continuously optimizing the PDF parsing algorithm to more intelligently recognize the natural reading order, thereby improving translation accuracy in complex layouts in future versions. For more general information on handling translation issues, please see our guide on what to do if translation fails or is incorrect.

7. Why does processing PDFs cost credits?

Processing PDF files requires intensive computing resources. When you upload a PDF, we need to run specialized programs on our cloud servers to parse the file, extract text, and convert it into a format suitable for reading and translation.

This process incurs actual cloud resource costs. Therefore, we require a small credit consumption to cover this overhead, allowing us to continue providing you with stable, high-quality PDF reading services. You can view the credit details for different subscription plans on our pricing page.

Please be assured that we have a mature error handling mechanism. If the PDF fails to process due to a system reason (not an issue with the file itself), we will generally not deduct your credits. If you notice any incorrect credit deductions, please feel free to contact us at support@readsavor.com, and we will handle it for you as soon as possible.

8. Can I save my vocabulary or translation history in a PDF?

Absolutely! The functionality of the PDF reading interface is identical to the plain text reading interface. Any words or phrases you translate are automatically recorded in your “History,” and you can add them to your personal “Vocabulary” list for review at any time.

Still have questions?

If your question is not listed here, please refer to our main How to Use ReadSavor guide for more general information. If you still have questions or have any suggestions for improvement, please feel free to contact us at support@readsavor.com.