PDF Tools — Complete Guide

Every PDF tool on this site processes your file entirely in your browser using WebAssembly and JavaScript libraries. Nothing is uploaded, nothing is stored, and there is no watermark. This guide explains which tool to use for the most common PDF jobs, how to combine them for multi-step workflows, and why client-side processing is more private than any cloud PDF service — including the paid ones.

Alle Tools

The 4 jobs 90% of PDF tasks fall into

Most people arrive with one of four needs: (1) shrink a file that's too big to email — use Compress PDF; (2) combine or split documents — use Merge PDF or Split PDF; (3) convert to or from another format — PDF to Word, Word to PDF, PDF to JPG, JPG to PDF; (4) protect, unlock or add metadata. Everything else (page numbers, watermarks, page extraction, rotation) is a refinement on top. Start with the primary job, then chain refinements after.

Client-side vs cloud PDF tools

Popular cloud PDF services upload your file to their servers, process it there, then send it back. That means a copy of your document — including confidential contracts, medical records, or financial statements — lives on their infrastructure. Our tools do the opposite: pdf-lib, pdfjs and related libraries run inside your browser tab. You can literally disconnect from the internet after loading the page and the tools still work. For any document you would not want indexed by a third party, browser-based processing is the only safe default.

Recommended workflows

Preparing a client proposal: convert Word to PDF, merge the cover letter and terms, add a watermark, then compress. Preparing scanned documents: rotate to correct orientation, extract only the pages you need, add page numbers, then protect with a password. Sharing large files: compress first, then split if still over the recipient's limit. Chaining tools this way avoids the 'one giant tool that does everything badly' trap.

File size limits and what to do about them

Because processing runs in your browser, the practical file-size limit depends on your device's RAM — roughly 200 MB on most laptops and 50–100 MB on phones. If a PDF is too big to open, compress it first with a native OS tool (macOS Preview, Windows Print-to-PDF) then bring it here. For extremely large scans, split into chunks with a desktop tool first. This is a fair trade for having complete privacy.

When our free tools aren't enough

For OCR on scanned PDFs (extracting text from images of text), heavy redaction, digital signatures with legal certificates, or high-volume automated pipelines, dedicated software like Adobe Acrobat Pro or PDF SDKs is still the right choice. Our tools cover the ~80% of everyday PDF work most people need — for the other 20%, budget for a proper tool.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Is my PDF really not uploaded anywhere?

Correct. All processing runs inside your browser tab using JavaScript and WebAssembly. You can verify this in your browser's Network tab — you'll see no upload requests when you process a file.

Do the tools add a watermark?

No. There is no watermark on any output file. Ever.

Do I need an account?

No. All PDF tools are unlimited and free without a signup.

Why does my browser slow down on large PDFs?

Because processing happens locally, large files use your device's memory. If you hit a limit, compress the PDF first with a native OS tool, then use ours for the more advanced editing.

Can I use these tools on my phone?

Yes, everything works in mobile browsers. Practical file-size limits are lower on phones (roughly 50–100 MB) due to less available RAM.