Frequently asked questions
Working tools today: Merge PDF, Split PDF, Organize PDF, Rotate PDF, Delete PDF Pages, Extract PDF Pages, Compress PDF, Grayscale PDF, JPG to PDF, PNG to PDF, Text to PDF, PDF to JPG, PDF to PNG, PDF to Text, Add Watermark, Add Page Numbers, Add Text to PDF, Crop PDF, Sign PDF, Unlock PDF, Edit Metadata, Flatten PDF. Browse them all on the homepage.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No — for every tool marked Working, processing happens entirely in your browser. Files never leave your device. See the Privacy Policy for the full statement and the one exception: future server tools, which do not exist yet, will be labelled before you upload.
Is PDFNova free?
Yes. All working tools are free in this version, with no account and no payment. Future premium features, if any, will be optional and will never gate the basic tools without clear notice.
What is the file size limit?
50 MB per file. Larger files are rejected with a clear message. Very large documents may also be limited by your device's memory.
Why do some tools say Coming soon?
Because they cannot honestly run in a browser-only site yet — for example high-fidelity Word/Excel/PowerPoint conversion, true redaction, and password protection. Each coming-soon card states its reason. No fake upload workflow is offered for them.
Why didn't Compress PDF shrink my file?
Compression here re-saves the PDF with object streams and stripped metadata. Scanned-image PDFs and already-optimised PDFs have little to remove, so they may not shrink at all. The tool reports the real sizes instead of claiming a saving.
Why is text not selectable after Grayscale or Unlock?
Both tools rebuild pages as images in the browser, because pdf-lib cannot convert colour or decrypt files directly. Image pages cannot carry selectable text. This trade-off is stated on both tool pages.
Is a signature on PDFNova a certified digital signature?
No. The Sign PDF tool embeds a signature image. Certified or qualified electronic signatures need a trust provider and are not offered here.
Which browsers are supported?
Any modern browser with File, Canvas and WebAssembly-free JavaScript support — current Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari. The pdf.js worker is served from PDFNova itself, not a third-party CDN.
Can I use PDFNova on my phone?
Yes — the layout is mobile-first and the dropzone works by tap-to-browse on phones. Very large files process more slowly on phones, and multi-file downloads may need extra taps depending on your browser.
Who do I contact about a bug?
Email hello@pdfnova.com with the tool name, your browser, and the exact error message. Never send passwords or sensitive documents by email.