How files are handled
A plain-English explanation of what happens to your document — no marketing language, just the mechanics.
The core tools never upload anything
Merge, Split, Compress, Sign, Watermark, Redact, and every other tool listed under "PDF Tools" run entirely inside JavaScript executing in your own browser tab. There is no server-side code path that accepts a file upload for any of these — not a slow one, not a hidden one. Your document's bytes never leave the device you're using. You can verify this yourself: open your browser's Network tab while using any tool and watch — no request containing your file is ever sent.
Two deliberate exceptions
Two features in the product do involve a server, disclosed clearly wherever they appear:
- Document Reminders stores a label and an expiration date you type in, plus your account email, so we can send a notification — never the document itself.
- The Vault is an explicit, opt-in feature for files you choose to keep long-term. It is the one place a file is stored on our servers, and it is clearly labeled as such everywhere it appears in the product.
What we do store
Creating an account stores your email address and subscription tier. Using the free tools tracks a simple daily usage count tied to your account — no file content, just a number. Vault files are stored encrypted, access-controlled to your account only, and deletable by you at any time.
Print and Share
The Print button opens your browser's native print dialog directly — the file never touches a server. The Share button uses your device's built-in share sheet to hand the file to another app (Mail, Messages) — again, entirely on-device. Neither of these routes your file through us.