Privacy Policy

The Short Version

All PDF Tools run 100% in your browser. Your PDF files are never uploaded to any server. We use Google Analytics 4 for anonymous usage statistics, but only with your explicit consent. We don't sell data. We don't track you across the web.

1. Data Controller

PDF Tools is operated by Daniel Chenari, based in Vienna, Austria. For contact details, see our Impressum.

Email: contact@pdfutils.dev

2. File Processing

Every tool on PDF Tools processes your files entirely within your web browser using client-side JavaScript. This means:

• Your PDF files are never uploaded to any server
• No file data is stored on our servers or in any database
• No file data is shared with third parties
• When you close your browser tab, your files are gone from memory — we never had them in the first place

This applies to all 15 tools: merge, split, compress, rotate, watermark, protect, unlock, convert, extract text, page numbers, rearrange, sign, delete pages, and metadata editing.

3. Local Storage

We use your browser's local storage (not cookies) for the following functional purposes:

• Consent preferences: Remembering your analytics and advertising consent choice
• Recently used tools: Storing the last tools you visited for quick access on the homepage

This data is stored only in your browser and is never transmitted to our servers. You can clear it at any time through your browser settings.

Legal basis: Legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) — these are strictly necessary for site functionality and do not require consent under the ePrivacy Directive.

4. Analytics

We use Google Analytics 4 (operated by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland) to understand how the site is used. This service collects:

• Pages visited and time spent
• Referral source (how you found us)
• Browser type and screen size
• Country (approximate, based on IP)
• Which tools are used (anonymous tool usage events)

Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). The Google Analytics script is not loaded until you explicitly grant analytics consent via the cookie banner. No data is collected before your consent.

Cookies set: _ga (retention: 2 years), _ga_* (retention: 2 years). These cookies are only set after consent.

We do not use analytics to identify individual users or track you across other websites. IP anonymization is enabled.

5. Advertising

We may display advertisements through Google AdSense or similar advertising networks in the future. These services may use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this or other websites.

Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). Advertising cookies are only set if you explicitly grant advertising consent via the cookie banner.

You can opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google's Ads Settings or Your Online Choices (EU).

6. Consent & Withdrawal

When you first visit PDF Tools, a cookie banner asks for your consent. You can choose to:

• Accept All: Enable both analytics and advertising
• Decline All: Reject all non-essential data collection
• Customize: Choose analytics and advertising consent separately

You can change or withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the "Cookie Settings" link in the footer. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing performed before withdrawal.

7. International Data Transfers

When you consent to analytics or advertising, data may be transferred to Google servers located outside the European Economic Area (EEA), including in the United States.

These transfers are governed by the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and EU Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs).

8. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services:

• Vercel: Website hosting — processes server access logs including IP addresses. Legal basis: Legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).
• Google Analytics 4: Usage analytics (only with consent). Google Privacy Policy

Fonts are loaded via Google Fonts (next/font) at build time and served from our own domain — no runtime requests are made to Google font servers.

9. Your Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the following rights under the GDPR:

• Right of access (Art. 15)
• Right to rectification (Art. 16)
• Right to erasure (Art. 17)
• Right to restriction (Art. 18)
• Right to data portability (Art. 20)
• Right to object (Art. 21)
• Right to withdraw consent (Art. 7(3))

Since our tools don't collect personal data, most of these rights are satisfied by design. For any requests, contact us at contact@pdfutils.dev.

10. Right to Lodge a Complaint

You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. The competent authority is:

11. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to know what personal data we collect, request deletion, and opt out of the sale of your data. We do not sell personal data.

12. Children's Privacy

PDF Tools is not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. If changes are significant, we will re-request consent where required.

14. Contact

For privacy-related questions or to exercise your data rights: contact@pdfutils.dev