FAQ & Help
Answers to common questions, plus a quick how-to for every tool. Still stuck? Contact us.
General
Is PDFTap really free?+
Yes — every tool on this site is completely free, with no signup, no watermarks, and no hidden limits. There's an optional "Support Us" tip jar if you'd like to help keep it that way, but it's never required.
Do I need to create an account?+
No. Every tool works immediately, with no login or signup step.
Are my files safe and private?+
Tools marked "In-browser" (like Merge PDF, Split PDF, PDF to JPG, Image to PDF, Compress Image, and Document Scanner) never upload your file anywhere — everything happens on your own device. For tools that do require the server (like PDF to Word or Compress PDF), your file is deleted immediately after conversion, and the download link expires after 10 minutes or 2 downloads, whichever comes first.
What's the maximum file size?+
25 MB per file for most document tools. The Document Scanner accepts images up to 20 MB.
Which tools work without uploading my file to a server?+
Merge PDF, Split PDF, PDF to JPG, Image to PDF, Compress Image, and the Document Scanner all run entirely in your browser. Everything else (conversions like PDF to Word, Compress PDF, Protect PDF, etc.) needs to briefly process your file on our server, then deletes it right away.
Why did my conversion fail?+
The most common reasons: the file is larger than 25 MB, the file is corrupted (try the Repair PDF tool first), the file doesn't actually match its extension (e.g. a renamed file), or — for Protect PDF — the PDF is already password-protected (unlock it first, then protect it with a new password).
Can I use PDFTap on my phone?+
Yes, every tool works on mobile browsers, including the Document Scanner, which uses your phone's camera directly.
How long is my converted file available for download?+
10 minutes, or up to 2 downloads — whichever happens first. After that, it's automatically and permanently deleted from our server. If you need it again, just convert the file again.
Do you store or view my documents?+
No. We never open, read, analyze, or sell the contents of any file you upload. Server-processed files exist only long enough to complete your conversion.
PDF Tools
How do I merge PDFs?+
Upload two or more PDFs in the order you want them combined, then click Merge. This runs entirely in your browser — files are never uploaded. Password-protected PDFs aren't supported; unlock them first.
How do I split a PDF?+
Upload one PDF, then choose "Split into individual pages" (one PDF per page) or "Extract page range" (e.g. 1-3, 5, 7-9) to pull out specific pages into a single new PDF.
How do I convert a PDF to JPG images?+
Upload your PDF and each page is rendered as a separate high-quality JPG you can download individually — all done in your browser.
How do I compress a PDF?+
Upload your PDF and choose a compression level: Light, Balanced, or Maximum. If a PDF is already fully optimized, you'll see a message saying no further reduction is possible — that means it's already as small as it can safely get.
How do I rotate PDF pages?+
Upload your PDF, choose a rotation angle (90°, 180°, or 270°), and either rotate all pages or specify page numbers (e.g. "1,3,5"). Page numbers start at 1.
How do I reorder PDF pages?+
Upload your PDF, then drag pages into the order you want before saving. Every page needs to be included in the new order — you can't partially reorder a subset.
How do I add a watermark to a PDF?+
Upload your PDF, type the watermark text, and adjust the color and opacity. The watermark is stamped diagonally across the center of every page.
How do I password-protect a PDF?+
Upload your PDF and set a password. Note: if the PDF is already password-protected, you'll need to unlock it first (using the Unlock PDF tool), then protect it with your new password — you can't protect an already-encrypted file directly.
How do I remove a password from a PDF?+
Upload the protected PDF and enter its current password. This only works if you already know the password — it doesn't crack or bypass unknown passwords.
How do I convert a PDF to an editable Word document?+
Upload your PDF and download the resulting .docx file. Text, paragraphs, and tables are preserved. Very complex layouts (multi-column magazine-style pages, heavy graphic design) may not convert perfectly — this works best on standard documents, forms, reports, and letters.
How do I extract tables from a PDF into Excel?+
Upload your PDF — each page's detected tables become separate sheets in the resulting spreadsheet. If a page has no detected table, its raw text is extracted as a fallback so you don't lose content.
How do I convert a PDF to PowerPoint?+
Upload your PDF and each page becomes one slide, rendered as a high-resolution image sized to match your PDF's original proportions (so nothing looks stretched or squashed).
How do I add page numbers to a PDF?+
Upload your PDF, choose a position (e.g. bottom-center), font size, and starting number, then download the numbered version.
How do I fix a corrupted PDF?+
Upload the damaged file — the tool re-processes the PDF's internal structure to fix common corruption issues. This works for most structural problems, but can't recover a file that's too badly damaged to open at all.
How do I convert a PDF to Markdown?+
Upload your PDF and get back clean, structured Markdown text — useful for pulling content into documentation, note-taking apps, or static site generators.
How do I crop margins from a PDF?+
Upload your PDF and specify how many millimeters to trim from the top, bottom, left, and right. At least one margin must be greater than zero, and margins can't be so large that nothing remains on the page.
How does the Document Scanner work?+
Use your phone or laptop camera to photograph a paper document. The tool automatically detects the document's edges, corrects the perspective, and lets you choose a filter (Original, Color, Grayscale, or Black & White) before saving as PDF, Word, JPG, or PNG. Everything happens in your browser.
How do I make a scanned PDF searchable (OCR)?+
Upload a scanned PDF or a photo of a document (up to 60 pages), and choose your output: a searchable PDF (keeps the original look but adds an invisible text layer), an editable Word document, or plain text. Larger files take longer since OCR runs page by page.
Image Tools
How do I compress an image?+
Upload a JPEG, PNG, or WebP image and it's shrunk in your browser with minimal visible quality loss — no upload to any server.
How do I convert images to a PDF?+
Upload one or more images and they're combined into a single PDF, one image per page, entirely in your browser.
Word Tools
How do I convert Word to PDF?+
Upload a .docx file and download the converted PDF, with formatting preserved as closely as possible to the original.
PowerPoint Tools
How do I convert PowerPoint to PDF?+
Upload a .pptx file and every slide is converted into one PDF page, in its original order.
Excel Tools
How do I convert Excel to PDF?+
Upload an .xlsx file and it's converted into a clean, printable PDF.
How do I extract tables from a PDF into Excel?+
Upload your PDF — each page's detected tables become separate sheets in the resulting spreadsheet. If a page has no detected table, its raw text is extracted as a fallback so you don't lose content.