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GoodReader iOS PDF app gets major update with all-new UI and viewer, Apple Pencil 2 support, Split View on iPad, much more

Popular iOS PDF app, GoodReader, is out with a major update today for its 10th anniversary. The new release brings a brand new UI and PDF viewer, a continuous scrolling mode, 256-bit encryption, Split View support on iPad, Apple Pencil 2 support, Secure Photocopy redaction, and much more.

GoodReader shared the news about the major iOS update in a press release on its 10th anniversary today:

Ten years ago, Good.iWare introduced what would become the world’s most downloaded PDF viewer and editor for iOS, achieving top-ranked status in countries around the globe. Today, the company celebrates GoodReader’s 10th birthday with the launch of GoodReader 5, bringing a fresh look and deeper document security for iPhone and iPad users.

Here’s are some of the changes users will first notice with GoodReader 5.0.1:

Usability improvements include:

  • A redesigned PDF viewer with smoother scrolling, zooming, and page turning.
  • A new way to read PDFs, featuring continuous “pageless” scrolling.
  • A new pictures viewer, including a more modern look and feel, smooth and fast image loading, and a quick preview bar of all pictures in the folder.
  • Split Screen (iPad only), enabling viewing of two files or different parts of the same file side-by-side.
  • A new PDF Reflow mode with a continuous “pageless” scroll of pure text extracted from a PDF, with a graphical preview of actual PDF pages shown at every page break.

Other notable improvements include double-tap tool switch support for Apple Pencil 2, AES-256 encryption for both files and folders, the ability to access OneDrive for Business, 2FA support for Box.com, and support for Apple’s “Open in Place.”

GoodReader is a $5.99 download from the App Store with one optional $5.99 in-app Pro Pack purchase to unlock all of the app’s features. The app as an average of 4.4/5 stars on over 3,000 reviews.

Here’s the full changelog (* denotes Pro Pack features):

  • completely new UI design: everything is better, faster, easier to find, more intuitive, with a modern new look
  • completely redesigned PDF viewer: much smoother scrolling, zooming, and page turning
  • PDF: continuous “pageless” scrolling mode
  • Split Screen (iPad only) to view two files or two different parts of the same file, side-by-side*
  • military-grade AES-256 encryption for files & folders*
  • add password protection (with strong AES-256 encryption) to PDF files*
  • upgrade weak encryption of old PDF files to AES-256*
  • create password-protected AES-256 encrypted ZIP archives*
  • Secure Photocopy, to completely eliminate all traces of invisible, hidden, or redacted information in a PDF file*
  • secure options for individual PDF pages: email, extract, or export as a separate password-protected file, as a secure photocopy, or both*
  • secure option to e-mail or export any file or folder as a password-protected ZIP*
  • easier closing of and switching between files: just swipe the left or right edge of the screen
  • access to OneDrive for Business
  • Switch Drives for SharePoint / OneDrive for Business / Office 365*
  • improved Apple Pencil support: start annotating immediately after touching the screen, use Apple Pencil 2’s double-tap to switch tools
  • Trash for deleted files & folders
  • new Box.com API, now supporting 2-step authentication
  • support for Apple’s “Open in Place”: depending on the app sending a file to GoodReader, GoodReader may open the source file residing in that app rather than copying the file to GoodReader
  • “Convert to PDF” for pictures and TXT files, plus improved support for built-in iOS conversion for HTML, iWork, and MS Office files*
  • completely redesigned video player with new controls: chapters, frame-by-frame forwarding/rewinding, jumping by 30 seconds, saving a screenshot* as a separate file
  • completely redesigned graphics viewer: much smoother scrolling, zooming, and page turning; easier handling of multiple image tasks like emailing, printing, or PDF conversion
  • support for multi-page TIFF: view page-by-page, extract* individual pages
  • better support for animated GIF: view frame-by-frame, extract individual frames*, play the real-time animation
  • completely new WiFi-transfer: much easier transfer of files via a web browser on a computer, with drag-and-drop
  • new file list mode: large icons, in addition to existing list and small icon modes
  • file list: multi-column list mode
  • file-list: auto-scrolling for extra-long file names that don’t fit the screen
  • better drag-n-drop for files and folders: now with the option of copying or moving
  • completely new PDF Reflow: now with continuous “pageless” scrolling, with embedded preview thumbnails for each page
  • file list preview thumbnails now support more file types: TXT, HTML, iWork, MS Office
  • better PDF Annotations Summary: choose what types of annotations and what type of information to include in the summary*
  • TXT: pre-composed color schemes for Day and Night reading modes
  • new menu auto-hide options: hide all bars automatically, leave the status bar on, don’t auto-hide bars
  • countless improvements to every aspect of the app, amounting to a much more efficient and enjoyable experience

(*) – a part of Pro Pack, requires an in-app purchase


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Avatar for Michael Potuck Michael Potuck

Michael is an editor for 9to5Mac. Since joining in 2016 he has written more than 3,000 articles including breaking news, reviews, and detailed comparisons and tutorials.


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