Privacy Policy

Last Updated: January 1, 2025

🔒 Our Core Privacy Promise

Your files never leave your device. ShrinkMyPDF processes PDFs entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. We cannot access, view, store, or transmit your documents—ever.

1. Introduction

Welcome to ShrinkMyPDF. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle information when you use our website and PDF compression tool. Because our service operates entirely client-side, this policy is refreshingly short—we simply don't collect or process your files.

2. Information We Do NOT Collect

Let's start with what we don't do:

  • Your PDF Files: We never upload, access, store, or process your PDFs on our servers. All compression happens locally in your browser.
  • File Contents: We cannot see what's inside your documents. The content, metadata, and structure of your PDFs remain completely private.
  • Personal Documents: Whether you're compressing tax returns, medical records, or confidential business documents, we have zero visibility into your files.
  • Account Information: We don't require accounts, logins, or registrations. You can use ShrinkMyPDF completely anonymously.
  • Payment Information: Our service is free, so we never collect credit cards, billing addresses, or payment details.

3. How Our Client-Side Processing Works

Understanding our technology helps explain why your privacy is guaranteed:

  1. File Selection: When you select or drag a PDF into your browser, the file is read directly by JavaScript running on your device.
  2. Local Processing: Our compression algorithms (powered by pdf-lib.js) analyze and optimize the PDF entirely within your browser's memory.
  3. No Network Transfer: Your PDF never transmits over the internet. There are no uploads to servers, cloud storage, or third-party services.
  4. Local Download: The compressed PDF is generated in your browser and downloaded directly to your device.
  5. Automatic Cleanup: Once you close the tab or navigate away, all file data is removed from browser memory. Nothing persists.

You can verify this by:

  • Opening your browser's Developer Tools and monitoring the Network tab—you'll see zero file uploads
  • Using ShrinkMyPDF offline (once the page loads, disconnect from the internet—compression still works)
  • Reviewing our client-side JavaScript source code

4. Information We May Collect (Non-File Data)

While we don't collect your files, we may collect minimal, anonymous analytics data to improve our service:

4.1 Website Analytics

We may use privacy-focused analytics tools (like Plausible or Simple Analytics) that collect:

  • Page views and website traffic patterns
  • Browser type and operating system (e.g., "Chrome on Windows")
  • General geographic location (country or region, never precise location)
  • Referring websites (how you found us)

Important: These analytics are completely separate from file processing. They track website usage, not your documents. We do not use Google Analytics or other invasive tracking tools.

4.2 Technical Logs

Our web server may automatically log standard HTTP information:

  • IP addresses (anonymized after 24 hours)
  • Browser user agent strings
  • Page request timestamps
  • HTTP referrer headers

These logs help us maintain server security and diagnose technical issues. They contain no information about your PDF files.

5. Cookies and Local Storage

We use minimal cookies and local storage for functionality:

Essential Functionality

  • Theme Preference: If we implement dark mode, your preference may be saved locally.
  • Compression Settings: Your last-used compression level (Low/Medium/High) may be remembered for convenience.

No Tracking Cookies

We do not use:

  • Advertising cookies
  • Cross-site tracking cookies
  • Social media tracking pixels
  • Third-party marketing cookies

6. Third-Party Services

ShrinkMyPDF is designed to minimize third-party dependencies:

6.1 Content Delivery Network (CDN)

We load the pdf-lib.js library from a CDN (unpkg.com). This is a standard JavaScript library loaded by millions of websites. The CDN provider may log basic request information (IP address, timestamp) but has no access to your PDF files or processing.

6.2 No Third-Party File Processing

Unlike other PDF tools, we don't send your files to third-party services like Amazon S3, Google Cloud, or compression APIs. Your files stay on your device.

7. Data Retention

Since we don't collect your files, there's nothing to retain:

  • PDF Files: Never stored, zero retention period
  • Server Logs: IP addresses anonymized after 24 hours, full logs deleted after 30 days
  • Analytics Data: Aggregated and anonymous, retained indefinitely for trend analysis

8. Your Rights and Control

You have complete control over your privacy:

Browser Controls

  • Clear Data: Use your browser's "Clear browsing data" feature to remove any stored preferences
  • Block Cookies: Disable cookies in your browser settings (may affect functionality)
  • Private Browsing: Use Incognito/Private mode for zero local data storage

Network Privacy

  • VPN/Proxy: Use a VPN to mask your IP address from our server logs
  • Tor Browser: Access ShrinkMyPDF via Tor for maximum anonymity

9. Children's Privacy

ShrinkMyPDF does not knowingly collect information from children under 13. Because we don't require accounts or collect personal information, users of all ages can safely use our tool. Parents and guardians can verify our client-side operation for peace of mind.

10. Security Measures

While your files never reach our servers, we still implement security best practices:

  • HTTPS Encryption: All website traffic uses TLS encryption
  • Content Security Policy: Prevents injection of malicious scripts
  • Regular Updates: We keep our dependencies and libraries up-to-date
  • No File Storage: By design, client-side processing eliminates server-side breach risks

11. International Users and GDPR

ShrinkMyPDF is accessible worldwide. For users in the European Economic Area (EEA):

  • GDPR Compliance: We don't process personal data from your PDFs, so most GDPR obligations don't apply
  • Data Processing: All file processing happens locally in your browser (Article 4 of GDPR—not "processing" under EU law)
  • Right to Access: Since we don't store your data, there's nothing to access or request
  • Right to Deletion: Your files are never stored, so deletion isn't necessary

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy occasionally to reflect:

  • Changes in legal requirements
  • New features or functionality
  • Improvements to our privacy practices

Updates will be posted on this page with a new "Last Updated" date. We'll never change our core commitment: your files remain private and client-side.

13. Contact Us About Privacy

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us:

Summary: Privacy in Plain English

Your PDFs are yours alone. We built ShrinkMyPDF specifically to avoid the privacy risks of traditional online tools. By processing everything in your browser, we've created a tool where your privacy isn't just a promise—it's guaranteed by our architecture. We literally cannot access your files, even if we wanted to.

If you have any doubts, inspect our code, monitor your network traffic, or use the tool offline. Transparency is the foundation of trust.