Help center

Frequently asked questions

Everything you might wonder about PDF Toolkit — how privacy works, what’s free, and how each individual tool behaves. Can’t find your answer? Get in touch.

General

Are my files uploaded anywhere?

No. The PDF utility tools run entirely in your browser, so your files are processed on your device and never uploaded to a server. AI chat is the only feature that sends text, and only to the AI provider you choose with your own key.

Is PDF Toolkit really free?

Yes. Every tool is free with no limits, watermarks, or sign-up. The AI tools are bring-your-own-key, so you only ever pay your AI provider (Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini) directly — never us.

Do I need to create an account?

No account is required to use any of the tools. Open the page and start working.

Does it work offline?

Once the app has loaded, the in-browser tools keep working without a connection, since pages are cached for offline use. Only the AI features need the internet to reach your chosen provider.

Is there a file size limit?

There's no fixed cap. Because everything runs locally, the practical limit is your device's memory — very large files just take a little longer to process.

Does it work on mobile?

Yes. The tools are responsive and work on phones and tablets, including drawing and signing with your finger.

AI tools

Chat with PDF

Is Chat with PDF free?

Yes — every tool here is completely free, with no limits, watermarks, or account required.

Are my files uploaded to a server?

No. This tool runs entirely in your browser, so your files never leave your device.

Do I need to install anything?

No installation and no sign-up. It works in any modern browser on desktop or mobile.

AI Summarizer

Do I need to pay you to summarize?

No. The tool is free; you bring your own AI provider key and pay that provider directly for what you use — never us.

Is my document safe?

Your text is sent straight from your browser to the AI provider you pick, using your key. We don't proxy, see, or store it.

Translate PDF

Which languages are supported?

Translation quality depends on your chosen AI model, which supports a wide range of major languages. Pick the target language before you run it.

Will the layout be preserved?

This translates the text content. Complex original layouts aren't reproduced exactly — the focus is accurate, readable translated text.

AI Question Generator

What kinds of questions does it make?

It generates study and quiz questions drawn from the document's content, each with an answer, so you can test your recall.

Is this free to use?

The tool is free; you only pay your own AI provider for the usage on your key.

AI Data Extractor

What documents does this work best on?

Invoices, receipts, and forms with clear fields — vendor, dates, line items, and totals — extract most reliably into clean, structured data.

What formats can I export?

You can download the extracted fields as CSV for spreadsheets or JSON for feeding into other tools.

AI Flashcard Maker

Can I import the flashcards into Anki or Quizlet?

Yes. The CSV export uses a simple front,back format that both Anki and Quizlet accept directly.

Organize PDFs

Merge PDF

Is there a limit on how many PDFs I can merge?

There's no fixed limit. Because merging happens in your browser, the practical ceiling is your device's memory — dozens of ordinary documents combine without trouble.

Will the pages stay in the order I set?

Yes. The output follows the exact top-to-bottom order of the file list, so drag the files into place before you merge.

Are bookmarks and form fields kept?

Page content, text, and images are preserved. Interactive elements like bookmarks and form fields may not carry across all files; flatten a form first if you need its filled values baked in.

Split PDF

How do I specify which pages to split?

Enter page ranges like 1-3 or 5,8-10 to pull specific sections, or choose the option to split every page into a separate one-page PDF.

Why do I get a ZIP file?

When a split produces more than one PDF, the results are packaged into a single ZIP so you can download everything at once. A single range downloads as a plain PDF.

Organize Pages

Can I reorder and delete pages at the same time?

Yes. Drag thumbnails to rearrange them and remove the ones you don't want — then save once to get a single clean PDF with all your changes.

Does reordering reduce quality?

No. Pages are moved intact, so text stays selectable and images keep their original resolution.

Rotate PDF

Does the rotation stick when I open the file elsewhere?

Yes. The new orientation is written into the saved PDF, so it displays and prints the right way up in any viewer.

Can I rotate just one page?

This tool rotates the whole document at once. To turn a single page, use the Organize tool, which lets you act on individual pages.

Delete Pages

Can I get the deleted pages back?

The download is a new file with those pages removed; your original stays untouched on your device, so you can always start over from it.

Is there a limit to how many pages I can delete?

No — remove as few or as many as you like, as long as at least one page remains in the document.

Extract Pages

What's the difference between extract and split?

Extract pulls the pages you pick into one new PDF. Split breaks a document into several files by range. Use extract when you want a single tidy subset.

Does the original file change?

No. You get a new PDF with just the selected pages; the file on your device is left exactly as it was.

Insert Pages

Can I insert pages in the middle of a document?

Yes. Choose to insert after any page number, so new pages land exactly where you need them.

Do the inserted pages have to match the page size?

No — pages from a second PDF keep their own size. Blank pages are created to match the surrounding document.

Number Pages

Can I start numbering from a page other than the first?

Page numbers are applied across the document; if you need to skip a cover page, remove it first with Delete Pages, number the rest, then reinsert the cover.

Will the numbers cover my content?

Numbers sit in the margin at the position you choose, so on standard documents they stay clear of the body text.

Bates Numbering

What is Bates numbering?

A page-identification scheme used in legal and business documents: each page gets a unique, sequential identifier (often a prefix plus a padded number) so any page can be referenced unambiguously.

Can I continue numbering from a previous batch?

Yes — set the starting number to wherever the last batch ended, and keep the same prefix and digit count.

Alternate Mix

What if the two files have different page counts?

The tool alternates for as long as both files have pages, then appends whatever remains of the longer file, so no page is lost.

View & edit

Edit PDF

Can I edit the existing text in a PDF?

You can add new text, drawings, and highlights on top of the page. Rewriting the original embedded text isn't supported — PDFs aren't word processors — but you can cover and annotate freely.

Is my document uploaded when I edit it?

No. Editing happens entirely in your browser, so the file and your changes stay on your device until you download the result.

PDF Viewer

Can I read a PDF here without downloading anything?

Yes. The viewer renders your PDF in the browser so you can read and zoom immediately, and the file never leaves your device.

Does it work on my phone?

Yes — the viewer is responsive and works on phones, tablets, and desktops.

Fill PDF Form

My PDF's fields aren't showing up — why?

This tool works with interactive (AcroForm) PDFs. If a form is just a flat scan with no real fields, use the Edit tool to type text directly onto the page instead.

Can I stop others from changing my answers?

Yes. Turn on flatten before saving to bake your entries into the page so they can't be edited.

Crop PDF

Can I crop every page to the same region?

Yes. Set the crop box once and choose to apply it to all pages, or crop just the page you're viewing.

Is the cropped-out content really gone?

Cropping hides the area outside the box from view and print. For content that must be permanently destroyed, use the Redact tool instead.

Watermark PDF

Can I make the watermark faint so text stays readable?

Yes. Lower the opacity to place a subtle watermark behind your content, or raise it for a bold, unmistakable stamp.

Does the watermark go on every page?

Yes, the text is applied to all pages so the whole document is marked consistently.

Flatten PDF

Why would I flatten a PDF?

Flattening bakes form fields, comments, and stamps into the page so they can't be changed and always display the same way — useful before sharing a completed form.

Can a flattened form still be filled in?

No. Once flattened, the interactive fields become static content. Flatten only after you've entered your final answers.

Resize PDF

Will resizing distort my content?

No. Pages are scaled proportionally to the new paper size, so text and images keep their aspect ratio.

When would I need this?

When a document prints on the wrong paper size, or a portal requires a specific size like A4 — resizing brings every page to the size you need.

Edit PDF Metadata

Why would I remove PDF metadata?

PDFs often carry hidden details — the author's name, the software used, creation dates — that you may not want to share. Stripping metadata before sending a file removes that trail.

Read PDF Aloud

Does this need an AI key or an account?

No. It uses the text-to-speech voices already built into your browser and operating system, entirely offline-capable and free.

Why do the available voices differ between devices?

Voices come from your operating system. Most devices include several; installing extra system voices makes them available here too.

Convert & export

Scan to PDF

Do my photos leave my device?

No. Captures go straight from your camera into the page in your browser, the PDF is built locally, and nothing is ever uploaded.

Can I make the scan searchable?

Yes — after saving, run the result through the OCR tool to add a selectable, searchable text layer.

Word to PDF

Will the PDF look exactly like Word?

Headings, paragraphs, and lists carry over cleanly. Very complex layouts, embedded objects, and exotic fonts may render slightly differently since the conversion runs in the browser.

Can I convert an old .doc file?

This tool reads the modern .docx format. Open an older .doc in Word or Google Docs and save it as .docx first.

PDF to Word

Will the Word file look exactly like my PDF?

This is a text-focused conversion: paragraphs and headings carry over cleanly, but complex layouts, columns, and images are not reproduced. It's built for getting editable text out fast, not pixel-perfect layout.

My PDF is a scan — why is the Word file empty?

Scanned PDFs contain images, not text. Run the PDF through the OCR tool first to add a text layer, then convert it to Word.

Images to PDF

Can I mix JPG and PNG images?

Yes. Add any combination of JPG and PNG files; each becomes one page in the finished PDF.

How do I control the page order?

Drag the images into the order you want before creating the PDF — pages follow that order top to bottom.

PDF to JPG

What resolution are the images?

Pages are rendered at a high resolution suitable for sharing and printing. A single page downloads as a JPG; multiple pages are bundled into a ZIP.

Can I get PNG instead?

This tool exports JPG, which keeps file sizes small. If you need transparency or lossless images, extract embedded pictures with the Extract Images tool.

OCR PDF

Is my document uploaded for OCR?

No. Text recognition runs in your browser via WebAssembly. Only the recognition model files are fetched (once, cached); your PDF and its text never leave your device.

Will it keep the original look?

Yes. Each page is kept as its image, and a selectable text layer is placed invisibly on top — so it looks identical but is now searchable.

PDF to Text

My PDF is a scan and no text came out — why?

Scanned PDFs are images of text, not real text. Run the file through the OCR tool first to add a text layer, then extract.

Does it keep the original formatting?

It extracts the raw text, so paragraphs carry over but complex layout, columns, and styling do not. For an editable document, use PDF to Word.

Extract Images

What image formats do I get back?

Images are saved in their embedded format (typically JPG or PNG). Multiple images are bundled into a ZIP for a single download.

Why are there fewer images than I expected?

Only true embedded raster images are extracted. Vector graphics and text drawn on the page aren't images, so they aren't pulled out.

Excel to PDF

Are formulas and formatting preserved?

Cell values are laid out as a clean table; live formulas are shown as their calculated results. Heavy styling and charts aren't reproduced — the focus is a readable table.

Can I convert a CSV file too?

Yes. Both Excel (.xlsx) and comma-separated (.csv) files are supported.

TXT to PDF

Does it keep line breaks and spacing?

Yes. Line breaks are preserved and long lines wrap automatically so nothing runs off the page.

What character encodings are supported?

Standard UTF-8 text files work best, covering most languages and common symbols.

Optimize

Compress PDF

How much smaller will my PDF get?

It depends on the file. Scanned and image-heavy PDFs often shrink dramatically; documents that are mostly text are already small, so gains are modest. If compression wouldn't help, the original is kept.

Will compressing hurt the quality?

Higher-compression settings reduce image detail to save space; choose a gentler level to keep pages crisp. Text stays sharp either way.

Grayscale PDF

Does grayscaling keep the text selectable?

Pages are re-rendered as grayscale images to guarantee a faithful result, so text is no longer selectable. If you need selectable text afterwards, run the result through the OCR tool.

Sample PDF Generator

Are the files real, valid PDFs?

Yes. In Content mode each file is a standard, multi-page PDF with a cover page plus sections of selectable text — you can open, search, and extract it like any document. Blank mode gives you empty pages instead. For larger sizes the exact byte count is reached by adding harmless padding inside the file.

What sizes can I generate?

Presets run from 50 KB to 100 MB, and you can enter any custom size up to 200 MB. Everything is built locally in your browser — nothing is uploaded.

Are my files uploaded anywhere?

No. The PDFs are generated on your device and never sent to a server.

Security

Protect PDF

What happens if I forget the password?

There's no recovery — the file is genuinely encrypted. Store the password somewhere safe, because we never see it and can't reset it.

Is the encryption strong?

The PDF is encrypted with a standard cipher so it can't be opened without the password, while still opening normally in any PDF reader once the password is entered.

Sign PDF

Is this a legally binding e-signature?

It places a visible signature image on the page, which is fine for most everyday agreements. It is not a cryptographic digital signature (PKI) and does not provide certificate-based identity verification.

Is my document uploaded anywhere?

No. The PDF is signed entirely in your browser — your document and signature never leave your device.

Unlock PDF

Can this crack a password I don't have?

No. Unlock only removes protection when you supply the correct current password — it's for documents you own, not for bypassing security.

Is my password sent anywhere?

No. The password is used locally in your browser to decrypt the file, and nothing is uploaded.

Redact PDF

Is the redacted text really removed?

Yes. Any page you draw a box on is rasterized (flattened to an image) before download, so the text and content beneath your black boxes are gone — not just visually covered.

Are my files uploaded to a server?

No. Redaction happens entirely in your browser; your document never leaves your device.