How to add PDF Flipbook to a Shorthand story

Embed PDF Flipbook on Shorthand

01

Create a PDF Flipbook widget for Shorthand on Common Ninja

First, create a Shorthand PDF Flipbook widget on Common Ninja. On the widgets catalog, find the PDF Flipbook and enter the Editor.

02

Save the PDF Flipbook widget

When you're done creating the PDF Flipbook widget, click on the Save Changes button at the right top corner of the editor. If you don't have an account on Common Ninja, you'll have to register first.

03

Copy the PDF Flipbook Embed Code

When you're ready to add the PDF Flipbook widget to your Shorthand story, click the Add To Website button at the top bar of the Editor. On the window that opens, click the Copy Icon to copy the widget embed code. In the next steps, you will paste this code into your Shorthand story.

04

Paste the code to your Shorthand website’s HTML field.

Next, go to your Shorthand story editor and find the HTML field. It is most likely in the form of an HTML/Code widget or module which you can find on the Shorthand’s editor. Add it to your page, and paste the PDF Flipbook Embed Code you’ve copied before to the HTML field. Save and update, and that’s it, you should have Common Ninja’s PDF Flipbook widget on your Shorthand story.

05

Alternative Method 1: Through the HTML option in the text’s editing area.

If you can't find the HTML/Code widget or module, there's another way to put Common Ninja’s PDF Flipbook widget on your Shorthand widget. You can just add the code to a special HTML section in the text editor.

06

Alternative Method 2: Add it directly to your Shorthand story’s HTML code.

If you're having trouble finding a widget or a special part in your text editor where you can add the Embed Code, you can try a different way to add the PDF Flipbook widget to your Shorthand story. You can do this by putting it straight into your Shorthand story's HTML code.

Why Use This Widget

Use the PDF Flipbook widget when you have long form documents that you want visitors to experience like real publications rather than raw files. Instead of downloading static PDFs, users can flip through pages interactively inside your site. This is ideal for catalogs, magazines, brochures, lookbooks, and detailed reports. The flipbook format feels more polished and keeps people engaged while still preserving all the content you prepared in PDF form. It also avoids breaking the journey by opening new tabs or external viewers. You gain a richer reading experience without having to redesign the material from scratch.

This tutorial was written by the Common Ninja product team, creators of interactive, no-code widgets for Shorthand story. Common Ninja helps over 500,000 users build engaging online experiences without coding.