diff --git a/react/README.md b/react/README.md
index 292bb97..2865c81 100644
--- a/react/README.md
+++ b/react/README.md
@@ -120,6 +120,35 @@ import { EmbedPDF } from '@simplepdf/react-embed-pdf';
 />;
 ```
 
+### Programmatic Control
+
+_Requires a SimplePDF account_
+
+Use `const { embedRef, actions } = useEmbed();` to programmatically control the embed editor:
+
+- `actions.submit`: Submit the document (specify or not whether to download a copy of the document on the device of the user)
+- `actions.selectTool`: Select a tool to use
+
+```jsx
+import { EmbedPDF, useEmbed } from "@simplepdf/react-embed-pdf";
+
+const { embedRef, actions } = useEmbed();
+
+return (
+   <>
+      <button onClick={() => await actions.submit({ downloadCopyOnDevice: false })}>Submit</button>
+      <button onClick={() => await actions.selectTool('TEXT')}>Select Text Tool</button>
+      <EmbedPDF
+         companyIdentifier="yourcompany"
+         ref={embedRef}
+         mode="inline"
+         style={{ width: 900, height: 800 }}
+         documentURL="https://cdn.simplepdf.com/simple-pdf/assets/sample.pdf"
+      />
+   </>
+);
+```
+
 ### <a id="available-props"></a>Available props
 
 <table>
@@ -129,6 +158,12 @@ import { EmbedPDF } from '@simplepdf/react-embed-pdf';
     <th>Required</th>
     <th>Description</th>
   </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td>ref</td>
+    <td>EmbedRefHandlers</td>
+    <td>No</td>
+    <td>Used for programmatic control of the editor</td>
+  </tr>
   <tr>
     <td>mode</td>
     <td>"inline" | "modal"</td>
diff --git a/react/package-lock.json b/react/package-lock.json
index 54c8294..7a99847 100644
--- a/react/package-lock.json
+++ b/react/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "@simplepdf/react-embed-pdf",
-  "version": "1.8.4",
+  "version": "1.9.0",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "@simplepdf/react-embed-pdf",
-      "version": "1.8.4",
+      "version": "1.9.0",
       "license": "MIT",
       "devDependencies": {
         "@rollup/plugin-terser": "^0.4.4",
diff --git a/react/package.json b/react/package.json
index 788b365..9e32d01 100644
--- a/react/package.json
+++ b/react/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@simplepdf/react-embed-pdf",
-  "version": "1.8.4",
+  "version": "1.9.0",
   "description": "SimplePDF straight into your React app",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/react/src/hook.tsx b/react/src/hook.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..00cf7c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/react/src/hook.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+import * as React from 'react';
+
+const DEFAULT_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_IN_MS = 5000;
+
+const generateRandomID = () => {
+  return Math.random().toString(36).substring(2, 15);
+};
+
+export type EmbedActions = {
+  submit: (options: { downloadCopyOnDevice: boolean }) => Promise<Result['data']['result']>;
+  selectTool: (
+    toolType: 'TEXT' | 'BOXED_TEXT' | 'CHECKBOX' | 'PICTURE' | 'SIGNATURE' | null,
+  ) => Promise<Result['data']['result']>;
+};
+
+export type EventPayload = {
+  type: string;
+  data: unknown;
+};
+
+export function sendEvent(iframe: HTMLIFrameElement, payload: EventPayload) {
+  const requestId = generateRandomID();
+  return new Promise<Result['data']['result']>((resolve) => {
+    try {
+      const handleMessage = (event: MessageEvent<string>) => {
+        const parsedEvent: Result = (() => {
+          try {
+            const parsedEvent = JSON.parse(event.data);
+
+            if (parsedEvent.type !== 'REQUEST_RESULT') {
+              return {
+                data: {
+                  request_id: null,
+                },
+              };
+            }
+
+            return parsedEvent;
+          } catch (e) {
+            return null;
+          }
+        })();
+        const isTargetIframe = event.source === iframe.contentWindow;
+        const isMatchingResponse = parsedEvent.data.request_id === requestId;
+
+        if (isTargetIframe && isMatchingResponse) {
+          resolve(parsedEvent.data.result);
+          window.removeEventListener('message', handleMessage);
+        }
+      };
+
+      window.addEventListener('message', handleMessage);
+
+      iframe.contentWindow?.postMessage(JSON.stringify({ ...payload, request_id: requestId }), '*');
+
+      const timeoutId = setTimeout(() => {
+        resolve({
+          success: false,
+          error: {
+            code: 'unexpected:request_timed_out',
+            message: 'The request timed out: try again',
+          },
+        } satisfies Result['data']['result']);
+        window.removeEventListener('message', handleMessage);
+      }, DEFAULT_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_IN_MS);
+
+      const cleanup = () => clearTimeout(timeoutId);
+      window.addEventListener('message', cleanup);
+    } catch (e) {
+      const error = e as Error;
+      resolve({
+        success: false,
+        error: {
+          code: 'unexpected:failed_processing_request',
+          message: `The following error happened: ${error.name}:${error.message}`,
+        },
+      });
+    }
+  });
+}
+
+type ErrorCodePrefix = 'bad_request' | 'unexpected';
+
+type Result = {
+  type: 'REQUEST_RESULT';
+  data: {
+    request_id: string;
+    result:
+      | { success: true }
+      | {
+          success: false;
+          error: { code: `${ErrorCodePrefix}:${string}`; message: string };
+        };
+  };
+};
+
+export const useEmbed = (): { embedRef: React.RefObject<EmbedRefHandlers | null>; actions: EmbedActions } => {
+  const embedRef = React.useRef<EmbedRefHandlers>(null);
+
+  const handleSubmit: EmbedRefHandlers['submit'] = React.useCallback(
+    async ({ downloadCopyOnDevice }): Promise<Result['data']['result']> => {
+      if (embedRef.current === null) {
+        return Promise.resolve({
+          success: false as const,
+          error: {
+            code: 'bad_request:embed_ref_not_available' as const,
+            message: 'embedRef is not available: make sure to pass embedRef to the <Embed /> component',
+          },
+        });
+      }
+
+      const result = await embedRef.current.submit({ downloadCopyOnDevice });
+
+      return result;
+    },
+    [],
+  );
+
+  const handleSelectTool: EmbedRefHandlers['selectTool'] = React.useCallback(
+    async (toolType): Promise<Result['data']['result']> => {
+      if (embedRef.current === null) {
+        return Promise.resolve({
+          success: false as const,
+          error: {
+            code: 'bad_request:embed_ref_not_available' as const,
+            message: 'embedRef is not available: make sure to pass embedRef to the <Embed /> component',
+          },
+        });
+      }
+
+      const result = await embedRef.current.selectTool(toolType);
+
+      return result;
+    },
+    [],
+  );
+
+  return {
+    embedRef,
+    actions: {
+      submit: handleSubmit,
+      selectTool: handleSelectTool,
+    },
+  };
+};
+
+export type EmbedRefHandlers = EmbedActions;
diff --git a/react/src/index.tsx b/react/src/index.tsx
index 08e557c..21adb5f 100644
--- a/react/src/index.tsx
+++ b/react/src/index.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
 import { createPortal } from 'react-dom';
+import { sendEvent, EmbedRefHandlers, useEmbed } from './hook';
 
 import './styles.scss';
 
+export { useEmbed };
+
 export type EmbedEvent =
   | { type: 'DOCUMENT_LOADED'; data: { document_id: string } }
   | { type: 'SUBMISSION_SENT'; data: { submission_id: string } };
@@ -128,8 +131,10 @@ type DocumentToLoadState =
       isEditorReady: boolean;
     };
 
-export const EmbedPDF: React.FC<Props> = (props) => {
+export const EmbedPDF = React.forwardRef<EmbedRefHandlers, Props>((props, ref) => {
   const { context, companyIdentifier, locale } = props;
+  const editorActionsReadyRef = React.useRef<Promise<void>>(null);
+  const editorActionsReadyResolveRef = React.useRef<() => void>(null);
   const [documentState, setDocumentState] = React.useState<DocumentToLoadState>({
     type: null,
     value: null,
@@ -137,6 +142,47 @@ export const EmbedPDF: React.FC<Props> = (props) => {
   });
   const iframeRef = React.useRef<HTMLIFrameElement>(null);
 
+  const submit: EmbedRefHandlers['submit'] = React.useCallback(async ({ downloadCopyOnDevice }) => {
+    if (!iframeRef.current) {
+      throw Error('Unexpected');
+    }
+
+    await editorActionsReadyRef.current;
+
+    const eventResponse = await sendEvent(iframeRef.current, {
+      type: 'SUBMIT',
+      data: { download_copy: downloadCopyOnDevice },
+    });
+
+    return eventResponse;
+  }, []);
+
+  const selectTool: EmbedRefHandlers['selectTool'] = React.useCallback(async (toolType) => {
+    if (!iframeRef.current) {
+      throw Error('Unexpected');
+    }
+
+    await editorActionsReadyRef.current;
+
+    const eventResponse = await sendEvent(iframeRef.current, {
+      type: 'SELECT_TOOL',
+      data: { tool: toolType },
+    });
+
+    return eventResponse;
+  }, []);
+
+  React.useImperativeHandle(ref, () => ({
+    submit,
+    selectTool,
+  }));
+
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    editorActionsReadyRef.current = new Promise((resolve) => {
+      editorActionsReadyResolveRef.current = resolve;
+    });
+  }, []);
+
   const url: string | null = isInlineComponent(props)
     ? (props.documentURL ?? null)
     : ((props.children as { props?: { href: string } })?.props?.href ?? null);
@@ -235,19 +281,30 @@ export const EmbedPDF: React.FC<Props> = (props) => {
         }
       })();
 
+      const handleEmbedEvent = async (payload: EmbedEvent) => {
+        try {
+          await props.onEmbedEvent?.(payload);
+        } catch (e) {
+          console.error(`onEmbedEvent failed to execute: ${JSON.stringify(e)}`);
+        }
+      };
+
       switch (payload?.type) {
         case 'EDITOR_READY':
           setDocumentState((prev) => ({ ...prev, isEditorReady: true }));
           return;
-        case 'DOCUMENT_LOADED':
-        case 'SUBMISSION_SENT':
-          try {
-            await props.onEmbedEvent?.(payload);
-          } catch (e) {
-            console.error(`onEmbedEvent failed to execute: ${JSON.stringify(e)}`);
-          }
-
+        case 'DOCUMENT_LOADED': {
+          // EDGE-CASE handling
+          // Timeout necessary for now due to a race condition on SimplePDF's end
+          // Without it actions.submit prior to the editor being loaded resolves to "document not found"
+          await setTimeout(() => editorActionsReadyResolveRef.current?.(), 200);
+          await handleEmbedEvent(payload);
+          return;
+        }
+        case 'SUBMISSION_SENT': {
+          await handleEmbedEvent(payload);
           return;
+        }
 
         default:
           return;
@@ -315,4 +372,4 @@ export const EmbedPDF: React.FC<Props> = (props) => {
   }
 
   return <ModalComponent children={props.children} editorURL={editorURL} ref={iframeRef} />;
-};
+});