How to load mp3/pdf files onto mobile devices

If the mp3 and pdf files are zipped to zip files, with option 1 and option 2 you need to download the zip files to your computer and unzip them before you can put them onto your devices.

With option 3 you can load the zip files directly to your mobile phone or tablet.

Option 1: Cloud Service e.g. Dropbox 

(recommended)

Dropbox works for all devices – it is simple and free.

Download one of my zip files onto your computer and unzip it or open it like a normal folder and copy the folders inside out of the zip file.

Then go to the website:

https://www.dropbox.com

Download the program and install it on your computer.

After the download and installation there will be a Dropbox folder on your computer (a normal folder) and everything that you copy into this folder (files or folders) will be copied to all your other devices where you also have Dropbox installed.

Now install the Dropbox App onto your mobile phone. Everything that is in the Dropbox folder on your computer will be copied into your Dropbox App on your mobile phone automatically.

The Dropbox on your mobile phone or tablet has a pdf reader and an mp3 player installed. So just go to your Dropbox app, wait until the folders and files are synchronized and then open them.

Tip: Of course you could also use other cloud services e.g. Google Drive. Just put the files on your Google Drive and make them available offline. It is an easy way to access the files with your mobile phone.

Option 2: iTunes

With iTunes (only if you use an iPhone/iPad)
iTunes is not the best option because it is a little complicated but if you want to try it anyway, please follow these steps:

For the MP3 files:

You can use iTunes to copy the mp3 files onto your iPhone/iPad.

Please note that you need to unzip the zip files first or copy the folders (which are inside of the zip file) out of the zip file!

Open iTunes, click File (Datei) in the main menu and select Add Folder to Library… (Ordner zur Mediathek hinzufügen …), select the unzipped folder on your computer.

It won’t work if you just open the zip file and select the folders inside!

After that click Done (Fertig), connect your iPhone/iPad and synchronize it with iTunes.
Then open the Music app on your iPhone/iPad. The files should be there.

As to the PDF files:

Open iTunes and connect your iPhone/iPad.

Click on books (see picture) not the link books farther below which shows you what is on your iPhone/iPad.

Go to File in the main menu and select Add File to Library… (Datei zur Mediathek hinzufügen …)

Select on your computer the pdf file that you want to have on your iPhone/iPad.
Make sure you check the box so that it gets synchronized.

Then click Done (Fertig) and synchronize your iPhone/iPad with iTunes.

The pdf should be in your iBooks App.

Option 3: iZip App

There is a third way if you want to put the zip files directly on your mobile phone or tablet.

There is a free app (also available for Android) called iZip. The iZip App works for all devices – it is simple and free.

Apple:

iZip for iOS devices (Apple)

Android:

iZip for Android Devices

If you have this app installed, you can download zip files directly to your mobile phone and use them. The app is cool because it shows you the mp3 and pdf files of each folder in the left sidebar.

You can tap on an mp3 file and a player will appear so you can start to play the mp3 file.

Then you can tap on the corresponding pdf file and a pdf reader will open. Now you can listen and read my files at the same time. Really cool, right?

Here you have the instruction step by step.

Install the app on your mobile phone (the one that I mean is: iZip – Zip Unzip Unrar Tool by ComcSoft (there is a free version).

Make sure you open the app and have it running in the background on your mobile phone.

Now tap a link to download a zip file. Make sure you tap on it long enough.

After tapping the link, it will probably take a little time until something happens.

After that, a small window will open asking you to open with… (on the left) and probably open with iZip on the right). Use: open with iZip.

If iZip isn’t suggested on the right, then you have to click open with… and select iZip afterwards.

If you are asked to pick an encoding, scroll down and pick „Central European (DOS Latin 2)“ so that you can see the „ö“ in the word „Böhnchen“.

It can take time again, but eventually, the program iZip will open and will ask you Would you like to extract all files? Tap the OK button.

The download process has already started in the background. Unfortunately, there is no sign that tells you that. And it depends how fast your Internet connection is! Just be patient, even if it takes a few minutes!

Now you have all files which were in the zip folder in the left sidebar and you can tap an mp3 file and listen to it.

Then tap the corresponding pdf file and you can read at the same time while the player is still playing. Isn’t that cool?

However, I would recommend printing out the pdf files.

In the beginning it is easier to handle the text with a print out. After a while, when you have done a few repetitions you can read and listen just with your mobile phone easily.

I hope this helps.

Lucas