The Quiet PDF Checklist

Stop the popups, find every file, clear the clutter in 15 minutes.

You tapped a PDF to read it. You shouldn't have to close an ad first, and you shouldn't have to dig through forty files called "Document1" to find it again. This checklist fixes both, using only what's already on your phone. Menu names differ a little between phones, so if you don't see an exact label, look for the closest one.

Set a timer for 15 minutes. Tick each step as you go.

Part 1: Make it quiet (about 4 minutes)

Step 1. Find the apps that can draw over other apps

Android only. iPhone doesn't allow this, so you can skip to Step 3.

An app that shows ads on top of your other apps is a red flag. Android lets you see which apps have that permission.

1. Open Settings, then Apps.
2. Look for Special app access (on some phones it's under the three-dot menu).
3. Tap Display over other apps.
4. Read the list. For each app, ask: does this really need to appear over other apps?

If a PDF app or a "file tool" is on the list and you don't remember saying yes, switch it off.

Step 2. Remove what you don't use

Still on Android: if an app keeps showing ads when you're not using it, uninstall it. Touch and hold its icon, then choose Uninstall, or go to Settings, Apps, tap the app and choose Uninstall. To double-check your phone, open Google Play, tap your profile picture, then Play Protect, then Scan.

On iPhone, open the App Library, touch and hold any PDF app you don't use, and choose Delete App.

Tick when: you've looked at the list, and only apps you trust are left.

Part 2: Find every file (about 4 minutes)

Step 3. Look in all the usual hiding places

PDFs land in more places than you'd think. Check each one once:

• Downloads. Where browsers and email apps usually save files.
• Documents. Where some apps keep their files.
• Chat apps. Messaging apps often keep attachments in their own folder.
• Email. Some PDFs only exist as an attachment and were never saved.

On Android, open Files by Google or your phone's own file app, and type .pdf into the search bar. On iPhone, open Files, tap Browse, then search for .pdf. Sort by date so the newest are at the top.

Step 4. Pull the ones you want to keep into one folder

Make one folder called PDFs to keep. Move the files you'll need again into it. Don't sort anything else yet. Just gather.

Tick when: you can open one folder and see every PDF you care about.

Part 3: Give files names you can search (about 4 minutes)

Step 5. Rename with a simple pattern

"Document1.pdf" tells you nothing. Use this pattern: what it is, who it's from, the year or month.

On Android, touch and hold the file, tap the three-dot menu, then Rename. On iPhone, touch and hold the file and tap Rename. Keep .pdf at the end so the file still opens.

Start with the 10 files you open most. That's enough to feel the difference.

Tick when: your 10 most-used PDFs have names you could guess from memory.

Part 4: Clear the clutter safely (about 3 minutes)

Step 6. Delete the biggest ones you don't need

Big files take up the most room, so start there.

• Android: in Files by Google, open the Clean tab and look for large files, or sort a folder by Size.
• iPhone: in Files, open a folder, tap the sort icon and choose Size.

Select the big PDFs you're sure about, then delete them. Before you do, check the total size shown. That's the space you'll get back.

Be careful here:

• Don't delete files you haven't opened. If you're not sure, leave it.
• If a file is also saved in the cloud, deleting it on your phone may not remove the cloud copy, and the reverse is true too. Check before you delete.
• On iPhone, deleted files wait in Recently Deleted for 30 days. On Android, many file apps delete right away, so double-check first.

Tick when: you've cleared at least a few files you don't need, and you know roughly how much room that freed.

You're done

Your PDFs now open without a fight, live in one place and have names you can search. In a month, repeat Steps 3 to 6. It only takes a few minutes once the folder exists.

If you'd rather not do this by hand

Steps 3 to 6 are what we built Pagefold to do in one calm place. You open it and your PDFs are there. You type part of a name and the matches appear. You rename a file with one tap. You long-press to select several, see how much space you'll free, and send them to a Trash you can restore from. It has no ads, no account and no internet permission, so your files stay on your phone, and it never shows anything over other apps.

Pagefold is coming soon to iPhone and Android. Since you signed up for this guide, we'll send you a short note when it's out. You can unsubscribe at any time. Either way, we hope the checklist saves you a little time.

Made by SwipeFinch, apps made for everyone. Questions? support@swipefinch.com

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