retrieving downloaded pdf and word files

[txbradley]

Greetings fellow IPad mini users!

this is my first post - I am middle-aged guy using this very first apple product. As such, I am struggling to navigate this different system. Can anyone help me with finding pdf files that I have previously downloaded? I have searched all the aps and can't find them anywhere.
thanks in advance for your help.
txbradley

 

[twerppoet]

I'm guessing you viewed these files in Safari.

Safari downloads and shows many file types for viewing; but it only views them. It does not save them to the iPad in a permanent way.

To actually store the files on the iPad you need an app that is compatible with that file type.

Once you have that app you can tap in the middle of the file, when it is open in Safari, to see the Open In options. This will show up at the top right of the file's view as Open In (default app) and Open In. . . The first is whatever app iOS has decided is your default app for that file type (usually an Apple app). The second will let you choose from all compatible apps on the iPad, and a few other options).

Good free apps for PDF files are iBooks (if you just want to read them in a book like interface) and Adobe Reader (for reading and/or annotating pdf files).

GoodReader 4 is a PDF reading and annotation app with a lot of extras; and the ability to open many other file types (read only).

I like PDF Expert, a powerhouse of PDF annotation and organization. It's not really any more powerful than GoodReader for PDF annotation, but I prefer the way the tools work.

There are many, many more PDF apps in the App Store; each optimized for a specific kind of task/user. If you have something specific in mind for the PDF files you are downloading let us know. Someone will probably have a great recommendation for you.