PDF Pro uses only essential cookies and local storage. We do not use tracking cookies, analytics cookies, or advertising cookies. Here is exactly what we store and why.
The short version: We use only essential cookies and browser storage required for the Service to function. No tracking. No analytics. No advertising. No third-party cookies. We do not participate in cross-site tracking or cookie-based profiling of any kind.
PDF Pro takes a minimalist approach to cookies and browser storage. We believe you should not need a cookie banner that is larger than the actual content of the page. Because we use only essential cookies required for the Service to operate, we do not display a cookie consent banner in most jurisdictions.
We use three types of browser storage mechanisms:
All storage we use is first-party (set by pdfpro.tools) and essential to the functioning of the Service. None of it is used for tracking, analytics, or advertising.
When you sign in, PDF Pro issues a JWT (JSON Web Token) stored in localStorage under pdfpro_token. This token keeps you signed in across page loads and browser sessions, and is sent with every API request in the Authorization header for server-side verification. Without it, you would need to sign in on every page visit.
We store your UI theme preference (light or dark mode) in localStorage under pdfpro_theme so that the interface renders with your chosen theme immediately on page load, without a flash of the wrong theme.
Non-sensitive UI preferences — language, sidebar state, viewer zoom, toolbar layout, and feature toggles such as “remember recent files” and “auto-save annotations” — are stored in localStorage to provide a consistent experience across sessions. See section 3 for the full list.
If you use the Privacy Signature feature, your ECDSA P-256 private keys (encrypted with PBKDF2 + AES-256-GCM) are stored in IndexedDB under pdfpro-signing-keys. These keys never leave your browser and are protected by a passphrase that only you know.
When “remember recent files” is enabled, the raw bytes of PDFs you open are stored in IndexedDB (pdfpro_db / file_cache) so you can reopen them without re-uploading. Annotations you apply to those files are stored in the same database (annot_cache). This data is local-only — never sent to any server — and can be cleared at any time.
The following table lists every cookie, localStorage item, and IndexedDB store used by PDF Pro:
| Storage Item | Type | Purpose | Duration | Essential? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pdfpro_token | localStorage | Authentication JWT — keeps you signed in and authorises API requests | Persistent until sign-out | Yes |
| pdfpro_plan | localStorage | Cached subscription plan (free / pro / pro-plus) for gating the UI | Refreshed on each sign-in | Yes |
| pdfpro_locale | localStorage | Language preference (en, tr, de, es) | Persistent until cleared | No (preference) |
| pdfpro_theme | localStorage | UI theme (light or dark) — read before first paint to avoid a flash | Persistent until cleared | No (preference) |
| pdfpro_sidebar_collapsed | localStorage | Sidebar open / collapsed state | Persistent until cleared | No (preference) |
| pdfpro_default_zoom | localStorage | Default zoom level for the PDF viewer | Persistent until cleared | No (preference) |
| pdfpro_viewer_prefs | localStorage | Viewer toolbar and layout preferences (JSON) | Persistent until cleared | No (preference) |
| pdfpro_keep_recent | localStorage | “Remember recently opened files” toggle | Persistent until cleared | No (preference) |
| pdfpro_save_annot | localStorage | “Auto-save annotations locally” toggle | Persistent until cleared | No (preference) |
| pdfpro_recent | localStorage | Recently opened file list (filenames and metadata; file bytes live in IndexedDB) | Persistent until cleared | No (feature) |
| pdfpro_folders | localStorage | User-created folders for organising recent files | Persistent until cleared | No (feature) |
| pdfpro_folder_items | localStorage | Mapping of recent files to their folders | Persistent until cleared | No (feature) |
pdfpro-signing-keys / keys | IndexedDB | Encrypted ECDSA P-256 private keys (PBKDF2 600k + AES-256-GCM wrapped) | Persistent until cleared | Yes (for signing) |
pdfpro_db / file_cache | IndexedDB | Cached PDF bytes for “reopen from recent” — never leaves your browser | Persistent until cleared | No (performance) |
pdfpro_db / annot_cache | IndexedDB | Cached annotations for each cached file | Persistent until cleared | No (feature) |
To be absolutely clear, PDF Pro does not use any of the following:
No cookie banner needed: Because we use only essential cookies that are strictly necessary for the Service to function, we do not display a cookie consent popup. Under GDPR, ePrivacy Directive, and most other privacy regulations, strictly necessary cookies do not require consent.
IndexedDB is a browser-based database that allows web applications to store structured data locally. We use IndexedDB for two purposes:
You have full control over all cookies and browser storage used by PDF Pro. Here is how to manage them:
Warning: If you clear IndexedDB, your encrypted signing private keys will be permanently deleted. If you have not exported a backup, they cannot be recovered. Always export your signing keys before clearing browser data.
You can configure your browser to block all cookies from pdfpro.tools. However, this will prevent you from signing in to your account and using authenticated features. Core PDF tools (viewing, annotating, compressing) will continue to work without cookies.
If you have any questions about our cookie and storage practices, please contact us:
Summary: PDF Pro uses only essential browser storage: auth tokens, theme preference, and encrypted signing keys. No tracking cookies. No analytics. No advertising. No third-party cookies. Your browser data stays in your browser.