Frequently asked questions

Does my PDF get uploaded?

No. The file is read into your browser's memory and processed there. There is no upload endpoint, no server-side processing and no stored copy. The page's Content-Security-Policy restricts it to loading files from this domain (that is what fetches the PDF engine when you ask for one) and blocks every other origin, so there is nowhere for a document to be sent. You can confirm it in your browser's developer tools: every request is a plain GET for one of the site's own files, and none of them carries your file.

Is an account required?

No. You never create an account, and nothing asks you for a password. Open the tool, choose a file, download the result. There is nothing to sign up for, and therefore no email address to collect.

Does this work offline?

Yes, once the page has loaded. The processing code is a normal part of the page. If you want to use it on a flight, load the page first, and if you plan to rebuild a protected file, trigger that once while online so the browser caches the PDF engine.

What PDF watermarks can be removed?

Watermark layers (a form object placed over the page by a typical 'add watermark' feature) and annotation watermarks such as stamps and free-text marks. These are deleted from the file, not hidden. Marks that were drawn directly into the page content are a different case: there is no separate object to delete, so the honest option is covering them.

Can it remove scanned-image watermarks?

Not currently, and the site will not pretend otherwise. When a stamp is part of a scanned image it exists only as pixels; removing it means guessing what was underneath. That is image inpainting, and nothing on this site does it.

Can I process encrypted PDFs?

Partly, and the distinction matters. If the file opens without a password but restricts editing (the permissions case, often called protected or locked), this site can rebuild it locally into a normal PDF and then work on it. If the file demands a password just to open, it is refused: that is access control, and this tool does not break it.

Is there a file size limit?

There is no size limit set by the site: the work happens on your machine, so the real limit is your device's memory. Measured in Chrome on a laptop, with one watermark layer per page: a 20 MB, 60-page file scanned in 0.22 s and cleaned in 0.64 s; a 73 MB, 400-page file scanned in 1.2 s and cleaned in 2.4 s. Memory, not speed, is what runs out: the peak lands near 3× the file size (about 67 MB for the first file, 237 MB for the second). The tool warns you when a file is large enough for that to matter.

Does the tool store my files?

No copies are made anywhere outside your browser's memory while you work. Nothing is kept afterwards: you will not find a history list, a recent-files menu or a cloud copy. Close the tab and everything the tool was holding is gone.

Does it work on mobile?

The tool is built for phones and tablets as well as desktops, but memory is the constraint on mobile: a large PDF that a laptop handles easily can cause a mobile browser to reload the page. Small and medium files are fine.

Why did processing fail?

Three common causes. The file may be damaged or use a structure the parser cannot read. It may demand a password to open, which is refused by design. Or the file is large enough that the browser ran out of memory. When something fails, the tool stops and leaves your original file untouched: it never writes a half-processed file over your document.

What happens to the original PDF?

It is not touched. Your file stays where it is on your device; the tool works on a copy in memory and hands you a new downloaded file. Delete the download if you do not want it, and keep or discard the original however you like.

Still stuck?

If something failed on a file you expected to work, tell us what happened: the browser you used, what the tool reported, and which kind of watermark the document has. A description is more useful than the document itself, and please do not send the file. The guide to watermark types explains how to work out which case you are in.