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      What readers see when viewing a flipbook link

      Understand the viewing experience from a reader’s perspective

      Table of contents 

      Overview

      Key benefits

      Navigating a flipbook

      Using the context menu

      Additional tips / FAQs

      Next steps

       

      Note: This article is useful for anyone viewing a flipbook link. If you're looking for information about the Reader role - a workspace role available in Flipsnack - you'll find relevant links in the Next steps section at the end of this article.

      Overview

      When someone shares a flipbook link with you, you can view it directly in your browser: no account or app download needed. The flipbook opens in an interactive player that mimics a real-life publication, complete with page-turning effects and multimedia features.

      The reading experience may vary depending on how the flipbook creator has customized the player. This guide explains the different settings they might enable or disable, what you’re likely to see, and how to navigate the flipbook. 

      Key benefits

      • No sign-up required: open and view shared flipbooks instantly
      • Interactive player: enjoy realistic page-flip animations and multimedia elements
      • Easy navigation: access table of contents, fullscreen mode, search, and more
      • Personalized display: flipbook layout adjusts based on your screen size and the creator's settings
      • New right-click menu: get fast access to key actions with the context menu

      Navigating a flipbook

      Once you open a flipbook link, you’ll see the publication displayed inside an interactive flipbook player.

       

      For the purpose of this article, we activated all key elements you may find:

      • Navigation arrows: use the left/right arrows on either side of the flipbook to turn pages manually.
      • Sound icon: this button controls any background music or embedded audio.
      • Zoom in/out: click the plus and minus icons (or use your mouse/touchpad) to zoom in or out on the page.
      • Pages overview: click the "Pages" or "Pages overview" icon to see a thumbnail view of all pages and jump to any one.
      • Print button: allows you to print the flipbook directly from your browser.
      • Download button: provides a downloadable PDF version of the flipbook.
      • Search bar: lets you search for specific words or phrases in the flipbook content.
      • Share options: allows you to share the flipbook via email or social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
      • Table of contents: a clickable list of chapters or sections, typically shown in a left-hand panel.
      • Fullscreen mode: expands the flipbook to fill your entire screen for a distraction-free reading experience.
      • Accessibility: once activated, the flipbook will be displayed in a simplified format, showing the text descriptions added by the creator separately. If the reader is using VoiceOver or another screen reader, the software will read this text out loud.

        Readers can also navigate through the available interactive controls using the Tab and Enter keys, including options like Next Page, Zoom In, View in Fullscreen, Font Size, and others.These may include screen reader support, alt text for pages, and other enhancements for visually impaired users.
      • Shopping list: allows you to add products featured in the flipbook to a virtual shopping list.
      • Interactive elements: flipbooks may contain clickable links, buttons, videos, pop-ups, or forms embedded on pages.

      Note: If any of these buttons are not available when viewing a flipbook , it means the creator of the flipbook didn't enable them. 

      Using the context menu

      A newly added feature is the context menu, which appears when you right-click on any page of the flipbook.

      Screenshot of the context menu in a flipbook, showing options like Copy page link, Download, Print, Pages overview, and Fullscreen.

      It offers quick access to essential actions:

      • Copy page link to share the exact page you're viewing
      • Download to save the flipbook as a PDF file (if enabled)
      • Print the flipbook directly (if enabled)
      • Pages overview to view thumbnails and navigate between pages
      • Fullscreen to expand the flipbook to full screen, especially for long publications or presentations. 

      Additional tips / FAQs

      • Can I view the flipbook on mobile? Yes! The player automatically adjusts to your device, using Smart View for optimal layout.

      • Why don’t I see some buttons? The flipbook creator controls which options are available, like download, fullscreen, or search.

      • Can I interact with embedded links or videos? Absolutely. Clickable elements are supported as long as the creator added them.

      Next steps

      Learn more about navigating and customizing flipbooks: