How to read PDF manga on a phone or tablet, and which reader apps to use

Can you read PDF manga with the built-in viewer?

The Files app on iPhone and the PDF viewer on Android will open the file, but they are made for documents. Pages scroll from top to bottom, which does not suit right-to-left manga page order or a two-page landscape spread.
To read a PDF as manga, use a reader app that supports right-to-left page turns and two-page view.

Three places to keep your PDFs

1. On the device, opened in a reader app

Copy the PDF from a computer to the phone or tablet and open it from local storage. It reads without a connection but uses the device's storage, so it suits loading only what you are reading now. SideBooks, ComicGlass, and i-Bunko HD read files this way.

2. In Dropbox or Google Drive

Upload from the computer and open from the app on the phone or tablet. No transfer step, and a second device can open the same file. This is how MIHIRAKI works: it reads PDF, ZIP, and CBZ from Dropbox and Google Drive as they are.

3. On a NAS (home server)

For a large library, keep everything on a NAS and read over Wi-Fi. Perfect Viewer, ComicScreen, and ComicGlass connect over SMB, MIHIRAKI over WebDAV. On Synology, QNAP, and similar, just enable the WebDAV server.

Apps that read PDF manga, compared

Prices and features are based on public information as of September 2026. Check each store for the latest details.

See the full reader comparison, including ZIP and CBZ

What the MIHIRAKI two-device spread looks like

Give My Regards to Black Jack / SHUHO SATO

Opening a PDF from Dropbox in MIHIRAKI

1. STEP 01

   Put the PDF in Dropbox

   Upload it from your computer to a Dropbox folder. Google Drive and a NAS (WebDAV) work the same way.

2. STEP 02

   Install MIHIRAKI on two devices and pair them with a QR code

   Install free from the App Store or Google Play. Choose "Show QR code" on one device and "Scan QR code" on the other, and the two are linked.

3. STEP 03

   Choose Dropbox on the main device and open the PDF

   Pick Dropbox from the service list on the main device, sign in, and open the file. The right and left pages appear on the two devices, and both turn together.

See the User Guide for details.

A spread on one screen is small. Two side by side match print

In any reader, a two-page view splits one screen in half, so each page gets small. On a 6-inch-class phone in landscape, each page is under 3 inches wide, and you zoom to read the dialogue.
MIHIRAKI installs on two devices linked by a QR code, with one showing the right page and the other the left. Two phones give a paperback-size spread, and two tablets a magazine-size spread or larger. The phone left over from your last upgrade makes the second device free.

Compare foldables, large tablets, and two devices side by side

FAQ

Can MIHIRAKI open a PDF stored on the phone or tablet itself?

No. MIHIRAKI reads files kept in Dropbox, Google Drive, or a NAS (WebDAV), not files on the device. Move the PDF into a Dropbox folder and it will open, on the second device as well.

Can I read ZIP or CBZ manga too?

Yes. MIHIRAKI supports PDF / ZIP / CBZ. Repack RAR (CBR) files as ZIP on a computer and they will open.

Does it work on iPad or Android tablets?

Yes. An iPhone with an iPad, or an iPad with an Android tablet, can also form a spread.

Can I pair an iPhone with an Android device?

Yes. MIHIRAKI runs on both iOS and Android, so a spare phone of either kind works as the second device.