--- title: "What happens to your documents when you use AI" description: "Which AI provider sees your document text, what PDFBetter stores, how to switch on Private AI, and how to delete stored AI indexes and chat history." url: https://help.pdfbetter.com/privacy-security/ai-and-your-data/ collection: "Privacy & security" section: "AI & security" updated: 2026-10-18 publisher: "PDFBetter (AI Generated Inc.)" --- # What happens to your documents when you use AI > AI 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. Do it in PDFBetter: https://pdfbetter.com/app/settings/privacy/ ## What's sent where - **Document text** goes to OpenAI's API when you use an AI feature, with storage turned off on their side. - **Page images** go to the AI provider for page-image features: **Detect fields**, **AI OCR**, Ask on short scanned files and [Chat with an image](https://pdfbetter.com/tools/chat-with-image/). - **Page images** go to fal.ai only when you use scan restoration. - Only what the feature needs is sent. Your documents aren't used to train models. - Document text is treated as data, never as instructions, which limits prompt injection from document content. - Browser tools are separate: they never upload your file and don't use AI. ## Standard AI and Private AI | | Standard AI | Private AI | | --- | --- | --- | | Extracted text and search index | Kept per document so repeat questions are fast and cheap | Kept only for the request, then discarded | | Chat history and AI tool results | Saved so you can reopen them without paying again | Not saved; each request starts fresh | | Scan restoration | Available | Off | 1. **Open Data & privacy**: Go to [Settings → Data & privacy](https://pdfbetter.com/app/settings/privacy/) and find **AI processing**. 2. **Choose a mode**: Select **Standard AI** or **Private AI**. Switching to Private AI deletes stored indexes. 3. **Fine-tune or clear stored data**: In Standard AI, untick **Keep each document’s AI index between requests** or **Save AI history (chats and tool results)** if you don't want them kept, or click **Delete stored AI index now** (tick **Also delete AI history** to clear chats too). Your documents themselves aren't touched. > **Note:** Private AI changes what PDFBetter keeps. Where the model runs depends on whether a private model endpoint is configured, and the settings page tells you which applies. Without one, requests still go to the hosted provider with storage turned off. AI output can be wrong or incomplete, so check summaries and answers against the cited pages; see [How accurate AI answers are](https://help.pdfbetter.com/ai/ai-privacy-accuracy/). For more on privacy, see [private document AI](https://pdfbetter.com/features/private-document-ai/) and [using AI on confidential documents](https://pdfbetter.com/guides/how-to-use-ai-on-confidential-documents/). ### Can I turn AI off completely? AI runs only when you use an AI feature, or when a workflow or connected agent you set up runs one. Otherwise no document text is sent to an AI provider. ### Does deleting a document delete its AI data? Yes. Stored text, search indexes, chats and AI results belong to the document and are erased with it when it leaves the trash. ### Whose AI setting applies on a document someone shared with me? The stricter of the two. If either the owner or you use **Private AI**, nothing is kept; retention needs both settings to allow it. ### Can I delete one saved result? Yes. Open it under **Previous results** in the AI assistant and click **Delete**. Documents it created, such as a translated copy, stay in your library. ## Related articles - [How accurate AI answers are, and how to check them](https://help.pdfbetter.com/ai/ai-privacy-accuracy.md): AI answers can be wrong or miss nuance, so every result links to the pages it came from and chat quotes are checked word for word against the page. Check numbers, dates and obligations against the cited page before you rely on them. - [Where your files are stored and who can open them](https://help.pdfbetter.com/privacy-security/where-your-files-are-stored.md): Browser 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. - [Export your data or delete your account](https://help.pdfbetter.com/privacy-security/export-data-and-delete-account.md): Open 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. - [Security certifications, and how to report a vulnerability](https://help.pdfbetter.com/privacy-security/security-certifications-and-reporting.md): PDFBetter hasn't completed a SOC 2 or ISO 27001 audit, isn't HIPAA compliant and doesn't sign BAAs. To report a vulnerability, email security@pdfbetter.com; reports are acknowledged within two business days. - [Open the AI assistant and what each tab does](https://help.pdfbetter.com/ai/ai-assistant-overview.md): In the editor, click the yellow ✨ AI assistant button in the top bar (or More (⋯) → AI assistant). From the dashboard, use the ✨ AI assistant menu and pick a document. The panel has nine tabs, from Ask to Scan. --- Source: https://help.pdfbetter.com/privacy-security/ai-and-your-data/ · PDFBetter Help Center · Last checked against the product 2026-10-18. Questions: support@pdfbetter.com