Privacy and data handling
What the online editor sends and stores: your PDF stays in the browser, Cloud PII sends page text only, Local NER sends nothing, and what is kept for your account.
This page explains, in practical terms, where your document and its text go when you use the online editor. The legal terms are in the Privacy Policy.
Your PDF file
- The PDF is opened and kept in your browser's storage (IndexedDB). It is not uploaded for detection, OCR or export.
- OCR, face and signature detection, rendering and creating the redacted file all run in your browser.
- If your browser cannot store the file locally, for example in some private-browsing modes, the editor uploads it to your account so you can keep working. This only happens when you are signed in.
- Password-protected PDFs are unlocked in the browser. The password is not stored or sent.
Page text, by detection mode
| Mode | What leaves your browser |
|---|---|
| Cloud PII (default) | Each page's extracted text and word positions are sent to the PII detection API over HTTPS. The API returns the findings and does not store the text |
| Local NER | Nothing. The model is downloaded once and runs on your device |
| Rule-based only | Nothing |
Switch modes in Detection settings. If page text must never leave your device, turn on Local NER before you open the document.
What is stored for your account
| Data | When |
|---|---|
| Document name, size and page count | When you open a file, signed in or not. It appears in your project's document list when signed in |
| Page usage count | Each time a page is processed while signed in, to bill your plan |
| Your name, e-mail and billing details | When you create an account or add billing info |
Card details are handled by Stripe and never reach our servers.
Deleting data
- Delete a document from the project's Documents list. This also deletes any stored file.
- Delete a whole workspace in its Settings.
- Clear the editor's local copy by opening a new document or clearing your browser's site data.
- To delete your account, contact support.
Need everything on your own machine?
Studio Desktop and the self-hosted Redaction Studio can run with local detection only, on your own hardware.
Next steps
Usage and limits
How the online editor counts pages against your monthly allowance, when the period resets, where to see your usage, and the size and page limits per document.
Troubleshooting
Fixes for common problems in the online editor: page reloads on first open, slow model downloads, nothing found on scans, sign-in prompts, limits and download issues.