Frequently Asked Questions

CedarPDF is a comprehensive, 100% free suite of PDF tools that runs entirely in your web browser. We offer six main categories of tools: Organize (Merge, Split, Reorder), Edit & Sign (Add text, signatures, watermarks, redact), Secure & Optimize (Compress, Protect, Unlock, Flatten, OCR), Convert (PDF to/from Images), and Others (Extract text/images, edit metadata).

Yes, 100% free. All features are available with unlimited usage. There are no hidden fees, no premium tiers, and no feature gating. This is a non-profit project dedicated to providing accessible tools to everyone.

No. CedarPDF is truly free, with no limits on the number of files or file size. Other online tools impose these limits to push users toward paid subscriptions. Since we process everything locally on your device, the only limit is your device's own processing power and memory.

No. CedarPDF requires no registration, no email address, and no personal information. Just open the website and start working immediately. We believe in protecting your digital identity.

In the age of AI, data is highly valuable. When you upload documents to online services, your data faces multiple risks:

• AI Training: Many services use uploaded content to train their AI models. Your data could become part of their knowledge base and resurface in responses to others.
• Server Vulnerabilities: Uploaded files are stored on remote servers that can be hacked or breached.
• Loss of Control: Once uploaded, you have no way to know how your data is being used or how long it will be stored.

CedarPDF eliminates all these risks. Your documents never leave your device, never get stored on any server, and never become training data for AI systems. You maintain complete control.

CedarPDF runs the processing engine directly within your browser using advanced web technologies like WebAssembly. Every operation happens instantly in your computer's memory (RAM). Once the process is complete and you download your result, all data is automatically cleared from memory.

You can verify this yourself in seconds:

1. Open your browser's Developer Tools (F12 or right-click → Inspect)
2. Go to the Network tab
3. Upload and process a PDF file
4. Observe: No file upload requests will appear. All activity stays local.

No tracking cookies. We don't use cookies for advertising, analytics, or user tracking. We respect your digital privacy completely.

CedarPDF is designed to work seamlessly on all modern browsers and devices:

• Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Brave, and other Chromium-based browsers.
• Devices: PCs (Windows/Mac), Laptops, Tablets, and Mobile phones (iOS/Android).

For the best performance, we recommend keeping your browser updated to the latest version.

Partially. Once the website and its core resources are loaded, most tools can function without an active internet connection because the processing is entirely local. However, an initial internet connection is required to load the page.

Future: We are exploring PWA (Progressive Web App) support to enable full offline functionality in the future.

While our tools are highly robust, processing may occasionally fail due to:

• Device Memory Limits: Extremely large or complex files may exceed your device's available RAM. Try closing other browser tabs or applications.
• File Structure Issues: The PDF may be corrupted or contain unresolvable internal references that standard parsers cannot interpret.
• Outdated Browser: Older browser versions may lack support for modern WebAssembly features.

If a problem persists, try using a different browser or device.

CedarPDF is a non-profit project developed and operated by a Canada-based team. Our members are volunteers who share a common vision. We are inspired by the cedar tree—a symbol of resilience, longevity, and beauty in British Columbia, Canada.

Our mission is to redefine the PDF user experience by providing a truly free, private, and accessible suite of tools, free from the paywalls and data-harvesting practices of commercial alternatives.

Because CedarPDF processes everything locally, we do not incur the massive server and bandwidth costs that traditional online PDF tools face. Our development and operating costs are kept to an absolute minimum.

We don't have investors to please or shareholders to pay. This lean, non-profit structure allows us to keep all features free forever, sustained purely by our commitment to the mission and the open-source community.

We are here to help and continuously improve CedarPDF based on user feedback. Please feel free to reach out to us:

📧 info.cedarpdf@gmail.com

We typically respond within 2-3 business days. When reporting an issue, please include your browser type and a brief description of the steps to reproduce it.