Privacy & security
Where files live, how long we keep them, deleting your data and protecting PDFs.
9 articles · Updated
Your data
- Where your files are stored and who can open themBrowser tools such as merge, split and rotate never upload your file. Documents you edit, fill or sign are stored in Cloudflare R2, encrypted at rest, and only you, people you share with and your team (for team documents) can open them.
- How long PDFBetter keeps your filesGuest drafts are deleted 1 hour after they're created. Files uploaded only to run a tool are deleted after 24 hours. Documents in your account stay until you delete them, then they're erased 30 days later.
- Delete documents, and restore them from the trashSelect documents and choose Move to trash. They stay in Trash for 30 days, where you can Restore them, then they're erased with their files. Use Delete forever or Empty trash to erase them now.
- Export your data or delete your accountOpen Settings → Data & privacy. Click Prepare my export to download your account data and original files. To close your account, click Delete my account, type your email and confirm. This can't be undone.
Protecting PDFs
- Password-protect or unlock a PDFUse Protect PDF: choose Require a password to open, set the Open password, pick what's allowed and click Protect PDF. Unlock PDF removes a password you know. Both run in your browser, and nobody at PDFBetter can recover a forgotten password.
- Why black boxes and whiteout aren't redactionErase (whiteout) and Blackout only cover content visually, and the text underneath stays in the file where anyone can copy it out. Redact removes it: after you apply redactions, each affected page is rebuilt without the marked content.
- Remove hidden data from a PDF before you share itUse Sanitize PDF. It shows what your PDF carries besides its pages, such as metadata, attachments, scripts and hidden layers, removes what you tick, and gives you a report. It runs in your browser.
AI & security
- What happens to your documents when you use AIAI features send your document's text to OpenAI's API with storage turned off; scan restoration sends page images to fal.ai. Your documents aren't used to train models. In Settings → Data & privacy you can choose Private AI or delete stored AI data.
- Security certifications, and how to report a vulnerabilityPDFBetter hasn't completed a SOC 2 or ISO 27001 audit, isn't HIPAA compliant and doesn't sign BAAs. To report a vulnerability, email [email protected]; reports are acknowledged within two business days.
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