Privacy
Does that PDF tool upload your files?
Most free online PDF tools upload your document to their server, process it there and send it back. Some do the work in your browser instead. You don’t have to take anyone’s word for it: your browser can show you, in about a minute, whether a tool sends your file anywhere.
Why it matters for legal documents
Exhibits are full of things that shouldn’t travel: medical records, bank statements, children’s names, material under a protective order. Lawyers in the US have a duty under ABA Model Rule 1.6(c) to make reasonable efforts to prevent unauthorised disclosure of client information, and similar duties apply elsewhere. Sending a client’s file to an unknown server to add page numbers is hard to call reasonable if a tool that keeps it local would do the same job.
Check 1: watch the network
- Open the tool in Chrome, Edge or Firefox. Press F12 (or Cmd-Option-I on a Mac) and click the Network tab.
- Click the clear button so the list is empty, then add a PDF to the tool and run it.
- Look at what appears. A request whose size is about the size of your file, going to the tool’s domain or a storage service, is an upload. A tool that works locally shows little or nothing while it processes.
Check 2: pull the plug
Load the tool, then turn off your Wi-Fi or unplug the network cable and try again. If it still processes your file and gives you the result, the work is happening on your computer. If it stalls or shows an error, it needs a server.
Check 3: read the security headers
In the Network tab, click the first request (the page itself) and look under Response Headers for Content-Security-Policy. A connect-src directive limits where the page’s code is allowed to send data. connect-src 'self' means it can only talk to its own site, so it can’t quietly ship your file to a third party.
How Bindery handles it
- Your PDFs and photos are read, numbered and assembled inside your browser. There is no upload step.
- The site sends
connect-src 'self', so the page can only talk to its own server, and that server has no way to receive documents. It only checks license keys and counts anonymous visits. - Once the page has loaded, it keeps working with the network switched off. Try it.
- Your work is saved in your browser’s own storage on your computer, so it survives a reload. Start a new bundle to clear it.
Questions
Are online PDF tools safe for confidential documents?
Some have good security and short retention, but your file still leaves your control. For confidential material, prefer tools that work on your computer, or check the provider’s terms, retention and location first.
Does Bindery see my documents when I buy a pass?
No. Payment happens on Stripe’s checkout page and our server only checks your license. Documents never leave your computer.
Updated November 9, 2026