Which Devices and Apps Work With a Digital Planner PDF?
"Will it work on my device?" is the most common question about digital planners, and the honest answer is "it depends on the app". A digital planner is a PDF with clickable tabs. The PDF part works almost everywhere; the clickable part needs an app that follows links. Here's what we know about our own planners, device by device, including what we haven't tested yet.
The four things your app has to do
- Open a PDF as a document (not as a "template" or a background).
- Let you write on it with a pen, stylus or finger, and keep your writing on the page.
- Follow links when you tap a tab or button. Many apps only do this in a read, view or "hand" mode, not while a pen tool is active.
- Duplicate or add pages (optional, but handy when you want more of one page).
You can test all four in two minutes with the free Starter Kit: it is built with exactly the same links as the paid planners. If the tabs work in the kit, they work in the full planner.
Device by device
| Device | Apps | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPad | GoodNotes 5/6 (free version too), Notability, Noteshelf, Noteful, Zoom Notes, PDF Expert | Works (standard links) | Links are standard PDF links, the same kind GoodNotes on iPhone opens. Tap with a finger, or use read-only mode. |
| iPhone | GoodNotes | Tested by us | Tested on an iPhone 14 (Nov 2026): tabs and buttons work in read-only mode. Pages are landscape, so turn the phone sideways to write. |
| Android tablet | Samsung Notes, Xodo, Noteshelf, Penly, Flexcil | Works (standard links) | Import the PDF as a document and tap links in view or read mode. Samsung Notes can drop links in very long PDFs; if that happens, Xodo (free) is the reliable choice. |
| Android phone | Xodo, Samsung Notes | Works (standard links) | Works, but the pages are made for a tablet-sized screen. Turn the phone sideways. |
| Windows, Mac, Chromebook | Any PDF reader with link support: Edge, Chrome, Preview, Acrobat Reader, Xodo, Drawboard (for pen input) | Works (standard links) | Good for typing or reading. For handwriting you need a touchscreen and a pen-friendly app. |
| Supernote, Boox | Built-in PDF reader | Not tested yet | These readers usually follow PDF links. Not tested by us yet. Try the free Starter Kit first; it uses the same links. |
| reMarkable | Built-in reader | Not tested yet | Pages display and you can write on them. Link tapping depends on the software version. Try the free kit first. |
| Kindle Scribe | Built-in reader | Links don't work | Kindle's PDF viewer doesn't follow links, so you'd scroll instead of tapping. The printable planner is the better buy for Scribe owners who print, or use the free kit to check. |
| Amazon Fire tablet | Xodo | Not tested yet | Fire tablets need the Xodo app from the Amazon Appstore. Not tested by us yet. |
"Works (standard links)" means the planner uses plain PDF page links, which these apps are built to follow; we haven't run every app on every device ourselves. "Tested by us" means we opened the actual file on that device. Last updated November 8, 2026.
Choosing between the two best-known iPad apps? See GoodNotes vs Notability for digital planners.
Things that are true for our planners specifically
- Every file is under 5 MB (the biggest is about 4.4 MB), so it imports into the free version of GoodNotes, which caps imports at 5 MB. Many big template planners don't fit.
- The pages are landscape (wide, like a tablet held sideways). On a phone, turn it sideways to write.
- Light and dark themes, Monday and Sunday starts all come in the same download, so you can switch apps or devices without buying another colour.
- Every link is checked by software before a file is released: no broken links, and every tab is at least 44 points wide, Apple's minimum for a comfortable tap.
- Duplicated pages keep their links. Need more low-energy pages? Duplicate one in your app.
Small things you might notice
A white flash when you jump far
On iPhone (and sometimes iPad), tapping a link to a page hundreds of pages away can show a blank white page for a fraction of a second while GoodNotes draws the new page. It lasts well under a tenth of a second and then the page appears. This is how the app loads pages, not a fault in the file, and it is more visible in the dark theme because the placeholder is white.
Links stop working after I write
In most apps a tap goes to the pen while a writing tool is selected. Switch to the read-only, view or hand tool to tap links, or tap with your finger in GoodNotes.
Links stopped working after I exported the file
Some "export" or "flatten" options strip links. Import the original PDF again; your original download link in the receipt email still works.
Not sure? Ask before you buy
Tell us your device and app at hello@tinywinsplanner.com and we'll tell you honestly whether we've seen it work. If you've already bought and a file won't work in your app, we'll help you set it up or swap you to the version that fits.
This guide shares planning strategies, not medical advice. If ADHD symptoms are making daily life hard, a doctor or ADHD specialist can help. Disclaimer.