Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains what information PDFSomething collects and how it is used. We designed this service to collect as little as possible.

Your files

The PDF tools on this site that are marked "processed in your browser" do exactly that: your files are read and processed locally on your own device using JavaScript. They are never uploaded to our servers for processing. Closing the tab ends that tool session. Your original file and any downloaded copies remain on your device until you remove them.

Six tools currently use server-side processing: Word to PDF, PDF to Word, Protect PDF, Unlock PDF, Repair PDF and OCR PDF. Each is labeled before file selection. The file is sent over HTTPS and processed using temporary server files in a separate job directory. Cleanup is attempted when processing ends, including after errors, but immediate or secure deletion cannot be guaranteed. Do not upload a document you cannot share with a processing service.

Analytics

We use Google Analytics 4 to understand which tools are used and to fix problems. It collects usage information such as pages viewed, approximate location derived from your IP address, device and browser type, and events like "a tool was opened" or "processing completed." Google Analytics uses cookies and identifiers for measurement; this is not a claim that visiting the site is anonymous. Our analytics events do not include file names or file contents. We also keep our own basic counts on our server (page views and download clicks) that are not tied to your identity.

You can opt out of Google Analytics across all sites by installing Google's opt-out browser add-on.

Advertising

This site displays advertising through Google AdSense to keep the tools free. Google and its partners may use cookies to serve and measure ads, and, depending on your settings, to personalize them. Google's use of advertising cookies is described in its advertising policies, and you can manage ad personalization in your Google Ads settings. Google Analytics and AdSense are not used to convert or store your documents. Their measurement and advertising data are separate from the file-processing paths described above.

Cookies

Google Analytics and Google AdSense set cookies as described above. We do not use cookies to read or track the contents of your files. For the full list and how to control them, see our Cookie Policy.

Contact messages

The contact form sends your name, email address, subject and message to the site owner's admin inbox. These details are stored so the owner can read and respond to your message. Submissions are stored in that inbox rather than forwarded by email. Do not include private document contents.

Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, or delete personal data held about you, including contact messages. Use the contact form to ask about your data or request deletion of a message.

Contact

Questions about privacy? Send us a message through our contact page.

Check this page for updates to how files, usage data and contact messages are handled.