Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely. Your privacy is our fundamental principle. All PDF processing happens entirely in your browser using client-side technology. Your files never leave your device—they're never uploaded to our servers or any third-party servers. We have zero access to your PDFs, their contents, or any metadata. This browser-based approach means your documents stay completely private and secure throughout the entire process.

No, we never store, collect, or access your PDF files. Since all processing occurs directly in your browser, your files remain on your device at all times. We don't have servers that receive your files, and we don't maintain any databases of user documents. Once you close your browser tab, all processing data is cleared. This zero-storage approach ensures maximum privacy and security for your sensitive documents.

We may use basic analytics cookies to understand website usage patterns (like which tools are most popular), but these don't track your file contents or personal information. We use standard analytics services that collect aggregated, anonymized data such as page views and general location. This helps us improve our service, but your PDF processing activities remain completely private and untracked.

No, we never share your PDF files, file contents, or personal information with advertisers or any third parties. Advertisements on our site are standard display ads that don't require access to your files or processing data. Our advertising partners may use cookies for ad personalization (standard web practice), but this is completely separate from your PDF processing activities. Your documents remain private and are never part of any advertising or marketing data.

Yes, PDFJar is completely free to use with no hidden fees or subscriptions. We sustain our service through carefully selected sponsorships and advertisements. These partnerships allow us to provide free PDF tools while maintaining our commitment to privacy and security. All processing happens in your browser, so we never see or store your files—even with our free model, your privacy remains our top priority.

Advertisements and sponsorships are how we keep PDFJar free for everyone. These partnerships allow us to provide powerful PDF tools without charging users or collecting their data. We carefully select our advertising partners to ensure they align with our privacy values. The ads don't affect your PDF processing—all tools work exactly the same whether ads are displayed or not. Your files remain completely private regardless of our revenue model.

No account or sign-up is required. PDFJar works immediately—just visit our website and start using any tool. There's no registration, no email collection, and no login process. This keeps your experience simple, fast, and completely anonymous. You can use all our PDF tools without providing any personal information whatsoever.

Yes, PDFJar is free for both personal and commercial use. You can use our tools for business documents, client work, or any commercial application without restrictions. There are no usage limits, no premium tiers, and no commercial licensing fees. Our free model applies to all use cases, making PDFJar suitable for individuals, small businesses, and enterprises alike.

Yes, you can unlock password-protected PDFs using our unlock tool, but you'll need to enter the password first. This is a security feature—we cannot bypass passwords because that would compromise PDF security standards. Once unlocked, you can use any of our other tools on the document. The password is only used locally in your browser and is never transmitted or stored.

Processing speed depends on your device's capabilities and file size, but it's typically very fast since everything happens locally in your browser. Small PDFs (under 10MB) usually process in seconds. Larger files may take longer, but you'll see real-time progress indicators. There's no server upload/download delay because we don't use servers—your browser processes files directly, making it faster than cloud-based alternatives for most users.

Browser-based processing uses advanced JavaScript libraries (like pdf-lib and PDF.js) that run directly in your web browser. When you upload a PDF, it's loaded into your browser's memory and processed using these client-side libraries. The entire operation—whether merging, splitting, converting, or compressing—happens locally on your device. This means no network transfer of your files, instant processing, and complete privacy. Your browser does all the work, and we simply provide the tools.

Since processing happens in your browser, file size limits depend on your device's available memory and browser capabilities. Generally, modern browsers can handle PDFs up to several hundred megabytes, though very large files may take longer to process. There are no artificial server-side limits because we don't use servers. If you encounter issues with large files, try closing other browser tabs or using a device with more available memory.

PDFJar works with all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. Since we use standard web technologies, any browser that supports JavaScript and the File API can run our tools. For the best experience, we recommend using the latest version of your preferred browser. Older browsers may have limited functionality or performance issues.

If you close your browser or navigate away during processing, the operation will be interrupted and you'll need to start over. Since all processing happens in your browser's memory, closing the browser clears that data. However, your original files remain untouched on your device—we never modify or delete your source files. Simply reload the page and upload your files again to continue.

PDFJar supports all standard PDF formats including PDF 1.0 through PDF 2.0. We can process PDFs created by any software, scanned documents, password-protected PDFs (with password), and PDFs with embedded images or forms. Our tools work with PDFs from Adobe, Microsoft, Google, and virtually any PDF-generating application. If you encounter a specific PDF that doesn't work, it may be corrupted or use non-standard encoding.

PDFJar is a web-based service that requires an internet connection to load initially. However, once the page is loaded, you can process PDFs without an active connection if your browser has cached the necessary files. For true offline use, you'd need to use our Progressive Web App (PWA) features, which allow the site to work offline after the first visit. The processing itself happens locally, so once loaded, you have more flexibility than traditional cloud services.