This page explains what happens to your files and data when you use RealPDFTool. We've tried to write it in plain language rather than legal jargon. RealPDFTool has no accounts, no sign-up, and no login — we don't collect names, email addresses, or payment details, because we never ask for any.
How your files are processed
Every tool on RealPDFTool is labeled with what actually happens to your file, right on the tool itself — no tag means it runs entirely in your browser (merge, split, reorder, rotate, delete, watermark, page numbers, metadata editing, PDF-to-image, and more), an amber "Server" tag means the file is uploaded to process it (Compress, OCR, PDF to Word/PowerPoint, Word/HTML-to-PDF, Protect, Split by size, Repair), and a purple "Your AI key" tag means the request goes straight from your browser to the AI provider you chose, using your own API key — never through RealPDFTool's servers at all.
What happens to files sent to our server
A server-side file exists only for the length of that one request: it's used to produce your result, streamed back to you, and deleted — immediately on success, and immediately if something goes wrong. We don't keep a copy, back it up, queue it, or hold onto it "for a while" on any timer. Once your download finishes (or the request fails), nothing of yours is left on our server.
Local storage, not cookies
RealPDFTool stores a handful of small preferences in your browser's local storage: your light/dark theme choice, and — only if you turn on Advanced (cloud) AI mode — your chosen AI provider/model and the API key you paste in. That key is saved only in your browser, is sent directly to the AI provider you picked, and is never sent to or seen by RealPDFTool's servers. Clearing your browser's site data removes all of it.
Analytics
We may collect basic, non-identifying usage information (like which tools are used most) to help us improve the product. This is never tied to your files, their contents, or any AI key you've entered.
Third parties
We don't sell your data, and we don't share your files with anyone. If you use Advanced AI mode, the document text you're summarizing goes directly from your browser to the AI provider you selected (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, etc.) under that provider's own privacy policy — RealPDFTool is not a party to that exchange and never sees the text or the response.
Your rights
Because we don't hold accounts or persistent files, there's nothing on our end to access, export, or delete on your behalf — your files and preferences already live only in your browser or, briefly, in the memory of a single request.