Download Help

Downloading CliffsNotes PDFs

You can download the PDF version of a CliffsNotes book immediately after reaching the Confirmation page, the final part of the online purchase process. Click the link to the Download page and then click the link(s) to the file(s) you would like to download.

Or, if you would prefer to download your purchase later, you may do so in the My Account section. You can get there via the link in your e-mail receipt, or from any page on the site. Within the My Account section, go to the Download Center. After logging in, you will have access to your downloads. To download a file, simply click on the filename.

Please remember that you must download each file within 14 days of purchase.

Downloading time depends on several factors: the speed of your Internet connection and the size of the file. Although your actual download time may vary, the following chart can serve as an approximate guide to the time it takes to download a 2MB file under ideal conditions:

Type of Connection	Maximum Kilobytes/Second	Download Time
28.8 Dial-Up Modem	Up to 3.2	11 minutes
56k Dial-Up Modem	Up to 5	5 minutes
DSL/ Cable Modem	Up to 7	25 seconds
ISDN	Up to 8	4 minutes
T1	Up to 193	10 seconds

Adobe Reader information

What is Adobe Reader?

Each file you'll download from CliffsNotes.com is in a PDF format, which means that it can only be viewed using a file-reading program called Adobe Reader. You can download Adobe Reader for free at Adobe.com.

Do you already have it?

Windows users: Go to the Start Button and click on Search For Files or Folders. In the search box, type in the word Adobe and search for any file containing that word. Check the results window for a program named Adobe Reader.

Mac users: Navigate to the Applications folder on your hard drive and look for the Adobe Reader folder.

If you find that you do not already have Adobe Reader installed on your computer, you can go to the Adobe Web site and download it for free. (Please choose the English (U.S) version of the software.)

System requirements

Windows requirements:

• Intel Pentium processor
• Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition*, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 6, Windows 2000 with Service Pack 2, Windows XP Professional or Home Edition, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
• 32MB of RAM (64MB recommended)
• 60MB of available hard-disk space
• Internet Explorer 5.01, 5.5, 6.0, or 6.1
• Note for Windows 98 users: The Windows 98 First Edition operating system is not compatible with the Adobe Reader 6.0 product at this time.

Macintosh requirements:

• PowerPC G3 processor
• Mac OS X v.10.2.2 or later
• 32MB of RAM with virtual memory on (64MB recommended)
• 70MB of available hard-disk space
• HFS formatted hard drive
• Web browser support: The Web browsers within which Adobe PDF files may be viewed are: Internet Explorer 5.0; America Online 6.0; Netscape Navigator 4.5 to 4.77, 6.1

For a listing of the official Adobe Reader System Requirements, including updates from Adobe.com, visit http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/acrrsystemreqs.html.

Verify your system information

To find PC system information, first locate the "My Computer" icon on your desktop. Right-click the icon (use the mouse to place the pointer over the icon and press the right-hand button of your mouse) and select Properties from the menu that appears. In the Properties window, select the General tab to access your System Information. Use this information to determine whether your computer meets the system requirements described above.

Retrieving your downloads

Viewing your download for the first time

You can download and view your CliffsNotes download from the Download page. You can get to the Download page in a few ways:

• Immediately after reaching the Confirmation page at completion of your online purchase, click the link to the Download page.
• You can also get there via the link in your e-mail receipt. This link will take you to the My Account area of the site. After logging in, you will have access to your downloads.
• Click the My Account link from any page on the site. Within this section, go to the Download Center. After logging in, you will have access to your downloads.

Once you arrive at your Download page, simply click on the filename to download and open it immediately.

Saving your download file for later

Be sure to save the file someplace on your computer's hard drive so that you'll be able to easily access it again in the future. We recommend that you right-click (PC) or control-click (Mac) on the link and select "Save Link Target As... ." Save the file to your personal folder, and then open it in Acrobat Reader. Alternately, with the PDF file open, you can go under the File menu and select the Save option.

Finding an elusive download file

What if you can't remember where you saved your download file — or you just can't find it? If you purchased the file within the last 14 days, return to the Download page where you'll be able to see what the file name is, which should help you locate it on your computer. Or, you can simply search your computer for all files ending in .pdf using one of these methods:

If you're using Windows:

• Go to "Tools" on the toolbar.
• Highlight "Find", then "Files or Folders."
• For "Named" type in the appropriate file extension, for example: "*.lit".
• For "Look in", from the pull-down menu, select, "C:".
• Click on "Find Now".
• Highlight and double-click on the correct title to open.

If you're using a Mac:

• Open "Sherlock."
• For "Find" type in: ".pdf".
• Click on the Search icon.
• Highlight and double-click the correct title to open.

If you still can't find the file, try downloading it again. Maybe it didn't really download the first time.

And if all else fails, contact Customer Care.

Troubleshooting CliffsNotes downloads

To make sure that the file has downloaded successfully, go back to the Download page (you can get there from the link in the e-mail we sent you) and try downloading the file again.

If you are still unable to read your e-book, there may be a problem with your installation of the Adobe Reader software. Please visit Adobe.com for the latest information on troubleshooting that software.

If you have ruled out any reader problems and you think that our file has a problem, please contact Customer Care.

Special download note for Mac users

There is a known bug that prevents users on Macs using Internet Explorer 5 from being able to make purchases from our site. We are working to resolve this. In the meantime, you can use Netscape to complete your purchase. You may still use IE5 to view the file itself.

Special download note for WebTV users

Unfortunately, WebTV does not enable you to download files such as the CliffsNotes downloads. You will need to make your download purchase from a PC or Mac computer. However, you are welcome to order the print version from our site, and we will deliver to you promptly.

Contacting Customer Care

If none of the information you find on this Download Help page solves your problem or answers your question, please submit a Customer Support Service Request.

If you prefer, you can call Customer Care at (877) 762-2974 (8 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST, Monday - Friday). Please have all the information about your order ready, including the confirmation e-mail.

Return Policy for Downloads

Downloads/E-books are non-returnable and non-refundable. Please verify that your system is properly configured before you make a purchase.