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# How do I make Scriptation the default PDF app on iPadOS 26?

On iPadOS 26, you can set Scriptation as your default PDF app so your scripts open straight into Scriptation — no Share sheet required. You'll set this from the **Files** app, and once it's set it applies to PDFs across your iPad, including attachments you open from **Mail**.

### Setting Scriptation as your default PDF app

1. Open the **Files** app on your iPad;
2. Locate any PDF file;
3. **Touch and hold** the PDF, then tap **Get Info**;
4. Below the Information section, tap the pop-up menu next to **Always Open With**;
5. Select **Scriptation**;
6. When prompted, choose **Always Open PDF Documents Files** to make Scriptation the default for every PDF, or **This File Only** to apply it to just that one file.

And that's all there is to it! Your PDFs will now open directly in Scriptation.

|| 📝 NOTE: If you don't see **Always Open With**, or the setting doesn't stick, go to **Settings → General → Software Update** and make sure your iPad is running the latest version of iPadOS.

### The one exception: AirDrop

PDFs received through **AirDrop** always open in Apple's Preview app, regardless of your default setting. To get an AirDropped script into Scriptation:

1. Open the PDF in the **Preview** app;
2. Tap the **Share** icon in the top-right corner;
3. Select **Scriptation**.

Your script opens in Scriptation and behaves normally from there.

### If your PDFs are opening in a different app

If your scripts are opening in Preview, Adobe Acrobat, or another PDF reader, that app is currently holding the default. Just follow the same steps above to hand it back to Scriptation — choosing **All PDFs** replaces the previous app's setting.

| ✅ TIP: Sharing a PDF from inside another PDF app uses that app's own share menu, which doesn't always list every app installed on your iPad. Opening your script from the **Files** app avoids this entirely.

### Opening a single PDF in Scriptation

Want to send just one file to Scriptation without changing your default?

1. Open the **Files** app on your iPad;
2. **Touch and hold** the PDF you want to open;
3. Tap **Open With**, then choose **Scriptation**.

### Adding Scriptation to your Share Sheet favorites

Since Apple introduced the Preview app in iPadOS 26, PDFs opened from **Mail** or **AirDrop** will always open in Preview first — this only works for PDFs opened through the **Files** app. From Preview, tap **Share**, then select **Scriptation** to send the file over. To make this faster, you can pin Scriptation to the front of your Share Sheet:

1. Open the Share menu, then scroll to the end of the apps row and tap **More**;
2. Tap **Edit** in the top-right corner;
3. Tap the green **+** button next to **Scriptation** to add it to your Favorites;
4. Tap **Done**.

Apple has a full walkthrough here: [Customize sharing options on iPad](https://support.apple.com/guide/ipad/customize-sharing-options-ipad29729577/ipados)

# What's Next

[Why isn't Scriptation showing in my iOS Share sheet?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/why-isnt-scriptation-showing-in-my-ios-share-sheet-6fyst1/)
[How do I import scripts into Scriptation?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-import-scripts-into-scriptation-k34r8d/)
[Welcome to Scriptation for iPad](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/welcome-to-scriptation-for-ipad-z36w14/)