Last Updated: October 24, 2025
Introduction
At LocalPDF, your privacy is not just a feature—it's our core architecture. Unlike traditional online PDF services that upload your files to remote servers, LocalPDF processes everything locally in your browser. This means we literally cannot access, view, store, or share your documents.
TL;DR: We don't collect your data because we never see it.
What Data We Collect
None.
LocalPDF does not collect, process, store, or transmit any of the following:
- PDF files or documents you upload
- Personal information (names, emails, addresses)
- IP addresses or device identifiers
- Browser fingerprints or usage analytics
- Cookies (we don't use any cookies)
- Session data or browsing history
How LocalPDF Works (Privacy Perspective)
1. File Upload
When you select a PDF file using our file picker, the browser reads the file from your local disk into memory. This happens entirely within your browser—no network transmission occurs.
2. Processing
All PDF manipulation happens in your browser using JavaScript and WebAssembly. The pdf-lib library (for merging, splitting, etc.) and PDF.js (for rendering) run locally. Your files never leave your device's RAM.
3. Download
When processing is complete, the modified PDF is generated in your browser's memory and offered as a download using the browser's built-in download mechanism. We don't intercept or store this file.
4. Cleanup
Once you close the browser tab or navigate away, all file data is automatically cleared from memory. There's no server-side storage, no backups, no "trash" folder.
GDPR Compliance (EU Regulation 2016/679)
LocalPDF is fully compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by design. Here's how we address each key GDPR principle:
1. Lawfulness, Fairness, and Transparency (Article 5.1.a)
Since we don't process personal data, we don't require a legal basis (consent, contract, legitimate interest, etc.) for data processing. Our service is transparent: what you see is what you get—100% client-side processing.
2. Purpose Limitation (Article 5.1.b)
Not applicable—we don't collect data, so there's no purpose to limit.
3. Data Minimization (Article 5.1.c)
We've minimized data collection to zero. You can't get more minimal than that.
4. Accuracy (Article 5.1.d)
Not applicable—we don't store data, so there's no data to keep accurate.
5. Storage Limitation (Article 5.1.e)
Data is stored only in your browser's temporary memory during active use. When you close the tab, it's erased. Storage duration: seconds to minutes, never longer.
6. Integrity and Confidentiality (Article 5.1.f)
Your data never leaves your device, so there's no risk of data breaches, unauthorized access, or interception. This is the highest level of confidentiality possible.
Your GDPR Rights
Under GDPR, you have the following rights. Here's how LocalPDF respects them:
Right to Access (Article 15)
You have the right to know what data we hold about you. Answer: None. We can't provide access to data we don't have.
Right to Rectification (Article 16)
You have the right to correct inaccurate data. Not applicable—we don't store data.
Right to Erasure / "Right to Be Forgotten" (Article 17)
Automatic. Your data is erased from browser memory when you close the tab. No manual request needed.
Right to Data Portability (Article 20)
Not applicable—we don't store your data, so there's nothing to port.
Right to Object (Article 21)
Not applicable—there's no data processing to object to.
Right to Restrict Processing (Article 18)
Not applicable—processing happens locally in your browser under your full control.
Third-Party Services
Hosting
LocalPDF is hosted on standard web hosting infrastructure. When you load our website, your browser makes a standard HTTP request to retrieve static files (HTML, CSS, JavaScript). This is a normal web request and may be logged by our hosting provider (e.g., IP address, timestamp, user agent). However, these logs do not contain any PDF files or document content.
Fonts
We load the Inter font from Google Fonts. When your browser loads our site, it may request font files from Google's CDN. This is a standard resource request and does not involve transmitting your PDF files. You can read Google Fonts' privacy policy here.
Analytics
We do not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any third-party tracking scripts. There are no cookies, no fingerprinting, no session recording.
Data Breaches
Since we don't collect, store, or transmit your personal data, there's nothing for us to breach. If a malicious actor gained access to our servers, they would find zero user data—no PDFs, no personal information, nothing.
The only theoretical risk is browser-level vulnerabilities (e.g., malicious browser extensions reading your local memory). This is outside our control and applies to all web applications.
International Data Transfers
Not applicable. Your data never leaves your device, so there are no cross-border transfers. You could be in Europe, Asia, or Antarctica—your PDFs stay local.
Children's Privacy
LocalPDF does not collect personal data from anyone, including children under 13 (COPPA) or 16 (GDPR). Since we don't collect data, we don't need parental consent.
Changes to This Policy
If we ever change our privacy practices (unlikely, given our zero-data architecture), we'll update this page and change the "Last Updated" date above. Significant changes will be announced on our homepage.
Contact & Data Protection Officer
For privacy-related questions, contact us at:
Email: privacy@localpdf.online
Since we don't process personal data, we're not required to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) under GDPR Article 37. However, if you have concerns about GDPR compliance, feel free to reach out.
Supervisory Authority
If you're in the EU and believe we're violating GDPR (though we're not sure how, given we don't collect data), you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. Find your authority here.