Files are processed in your browser, not uploaded. Privacy →
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Privacy

PDF privacy: work on PDFs without uploading them

By DeckleUpdated

Deckle processes PDFs in your browser: the file is read from your device, every tool runs as code in the browser tab, and the bytes of your document are not uploaded. The website itself still loads over the internet. These guides explain what that covers, how to check any PDF service before you use it, and how to make sure the file you send does not carry more than you intended.

Organize PDF pages

Three different privacy tasks

Password

Controls access

Metadata

Document properties

Redaction

Selected page content

Choose the change; inspect the saved copy

Conceptual comparison · access, properties and content require separate checks. No single task certifies complete privacy.

Find the right guide

You want to Read
Edit, merge or split a PDF without sending it to a server How to edit a PDF without uploading it
Understand what "processed in your browser" means What browser-local PDF processing means
Choose between a local tool and an upload service Local vs cloud PDF processing
Decide between a website and an installed app Web PDF tool vs desktop PDF app
Check an online PDF service before using it Are online PDF tools safe?
Know where Deckle keeps your open files Browser storage vs downloaded files
Find names, comments and attachments before sending How to check a PDF for hidden information
Send a protected PDF and its password How to send a password-protected PDF safely
Read the checks shown after each tool runs What Deckle's verification receipt checks
Fix a downloaded result that will not open Why a downloaded PDF won't open

What stays on your device

  • The file. Your browser reads it from your device. Merging, splitting, converting and the other tools run in background workers on your own processor.
  • Passwords. Passwords typed into Password protect PDF or Unlock PDF are used to encrypt or open the file on your device. They are not saved or sent anywhere.
  • Open documents and results. They are kept in your browser's private storage for this site, so a reload does not lose them. Closing a document removes it.

What does use the network

Deckle is a website. Your browser downloads its pages, scripts, fonts and the processing engines each tool needs. Like any website, the servers that deliver Deckle receive ordinary web requests with details such as your IP address, browser and the page you asked for. Those requests do not contain your documents, their contents or your passwords. You do not need an account.

What local processing does not do

Keeping the file off a server does not clean what is inside it. A PDF can carry an author name, editing history, comments, attachments or text hidden under an image. Each of those travels with the file when you send it.

Inside the file How to deal with it
Author, title, dates, app names, attachments Remove PDF metadata
Pages that should not be shared Organize PDF pages or Split PDF
Content only named people should read Password protect PDF
Names or numbers on the pages Remove them in the source document, or redact them

Local processing also does not protect a shared computer. Anyone using your browser profile can reach what is stored for this site, so close your documents when you finish.

Tips

  • Download what you want to keep. Browser storage is not a backup, and the browser may clear it when space runs low.
  • Clean the file, then send it. Remove metadata and unwanted pages before the file leaves your device.
  • Check before you upload elsewhere. If you use another service, find out whether it sends the file to a server. See are online PDF tools safe.
  • Mind browser extensions. Extensions you install can read the pages you visit, including Deckle.

Frequently asked questions

Does Deckle upload my PDF?

No. Your browser processes the PDF on your device. Only the website itself loads over the internet.

Do I need an account?

No. Every tool works without signing up or giving an email address, so there is no profile of the files you have worked on.

How do I remove my files from Deckle?

Close each document in the workspace, or clear this site's data in your browser settings. Downloaded files are separate and stay in your folders.

Is a PDF processed in the browser private?

The file is not sent to a server, which removes the risk of a server copy. What the file contains is still visible to whoever you send it to, so clean it first.

Related tools

Sources