Frequently asked questions about SladdPDF

Security and privacy

Are my PDF files uploaded to a server?

No. SladdPDF opens and edits your PDF entirely inside the browser tab, using JavaScript and WebAssembly (pdf.js and pdf-lib). The file is read from your disk into the tab's memory, and the redacted copy is written straight back to your download folder. Nothing is sent to a server at any point, so there is no upload, no server-side copy and no retention period to worry about.

Does SladdPDF work offline?

Yes. Once the page has loaded you can disconnect from the internet — switch on airplane mode, if you like — and keep redacting. All the code that reads, edits and exports your PDF is already running in the tab, so no network connection is needed. It is also the simplest way to prove to yourself that the document is not going anywhere.

Does SladdPDF track me or collect data about my documents?

The website uses Vercel Web Analytics, a cookieless service that counts aggregate page views: which pages are read, how many visits, and the country a visit comes from. It sets no cookies, builds no personal profiles and does no cross-site tracking. Your documents are not part of that: because the PDF never leaves your browser, we cannot see the file, its contents or its name, and nothing about it is logged. If you would rather not load the analytics script, a content blocker will block it and the tool works fine without it. Details are in our privacy policy.

Can the text under a redaction be recovered?

That depends on the export mode you choose. In Secure mode each page is rasterized to a flat image after the boxes are applied, so the underlying text, layers and hidden objects are destroyed and cannot be recovered. In Fast mode the boxes are vector overlays drawn on top of the page — quicker to export, but as with any black box on a page, the text underneath may in some cases still be extractable.

Using SladdPDF

How do I redact a PDF with SladdPDF?

Open the redaction tool, choose your PDF, and drag a box over every piece of text or image that has to disappear. Use the page thumbnails to move through the document and zoom in to place boxes precisely; Ctrl+Z undoes the last box if you misplace one. When everything is covered, export the file — choose Secure mode, and turn on metadata removal if the document will be shared.

What is the difference between Secure mode and Fast mode?

Secure mode rasterizes every page to an image, which makes the redaction irreversible: the text, layers and hidden objects behind each box are gone for good. Fast mode keeps the pages as vector PDF and simply draws the boxes on top, so it exports faster and leaves the rest of the text selectable — but the tool warns that text under a box may still be extractable. Use Secure mode for anything sensitive.

Do I need an account or a software installation?

No. There is no registration, no email address to hand over and nothing to install — you open the page and start redacting. Because everything runs inside the browser, there is no software to keep updated and no admin rights to request, which helps on locked-down work machines. The free version has no page limit; only high-resolution 300 DPI export needs a Pro license key.

Which browsers and devices does SladdPDF work on?

It works in every modern browser — Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari — on Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS. Since nothing is installed, a managed work laptop or a school Chromebook behaves the same as a personal machine, and no IT ticket is needed. A mouse and a reasonably large screen make box placement easier, but a current browser is the only real requirement.

Can I remove the document's metadata as well?

Yes. Metadata removal is an option at export: it strips fields such as the title, the author, the program that created the file and hidden tags that can point back to a person or an internal system. A carefully redacted page is worth little if the document properties still carry the author's name, so leave the option on whenever the file leaves your organization.

Pricing and Pro

Is SladdPDF free?

Yes. The free version redacts documents with no page limit, and everything that matters is included — Secure mode, metadata removal, undo, page thumbnails and zoom — with no account, no email address and no trial period counting down. The one limit is resolution: free export is standard resolution, while print-quality 300 DPI export requires Pro, which is unlocked with a paid license key.

What does the Pro license add?

Pro unlocks high-resolution 300 DPI export, which matters when a rasterized page still has to look sharp in print or when a scan contains small type. It is unlocked with a license key rather than an account, so the tool keeps working exactly as before: in your browser, on your device, with no upload. Nothing else about the workflow changes — redaction itself is free with no page limit.

Can I test the tool before I pay?

Yes. The free version is the whole tool: redact a PDF of any length, export it in Secure mode with metadata removal, and inspect the result before you decide anything. That is enough to see exactly what the exported file looks like and to run the copy-paste test on it — only 300 DPI export is paid. No card details and no account are needed to try it.

Legal and compliance

Does using SladdPDF help with GDPR compliance?

It removes one common risk: because the document never leaves your device, no personal data is handed to a third-party service, so there is no external processor, no cloud copy and no international transfer to account for. What the tool cannot do is decide what must be redacted or confirm that you caught everything — that stays your responsibility. Export in Secure mode so the removed data cannot be recovered.

Do we need a data processing agreement with SladdPDF?

We never receive your documents, so there is nothing for us to process on your behalf — the redaction happens in your browser. The website itself uses Vercel Web Analytics for aggregate, cookieless page-view statistics, which is a separate matter from the files you redact and is described in our privacy policy. Whether your organization still wants paperwork on file is a question for your own legal or privacy team.

How do I verify that a document is properly redacted before releasing it?

Open the exported file and try to break it. Select all the text, paste it into a plain text editor, and search for the words you removed; then use the PDF viewer's own search for a name or number that should be gone. After a Secure mode export the pages are images, so there is no text layer to find at all. Finally, check the document properties to confirm the metadata is gone.

This page is general guidance, not legal advice.