Security & Privacy at PDFBEAR

We know your documents are private and often sensitive. Keeping them safe is a core part of how PDFBEAR is built, not an afterthought. This page explains, in plain language, how we protect your files and your data when you use our free online PDF tools.

Encrypted connections (HTTPS)

Every file you upload to PDFBEAR, and every result you download, is transferred over an encrypted HTTPS connection. That means the data moving between your device and our servers is protected in transit and cannot be read by others on the network. Encryption is always on - there is nothing for you to switch on or configure.

Automatic file deletion and retention

We do not keep your files longer than needed. For free accounts, every file is automatically removed 14 days after your last activity on it - and any activity, such as downloading the file or opening its share link, resets that 14-day timer. For Premium accounts, files are kept for as long as your subscription is active, so your documents stay available while you remain subscribed. Either way, you can delete any file yourself at any time from your file manager, and it is removed from your account right away.

No human reads your files

We use your files only to perform the exact task you requested - converting, merging, compressing, signing or running OCR - and to provide the download, sharing and management features tied to that result. We do not read the contents of your documents for any other purpose, and our staff do not browse your files. When you use the AI features, the relevant file or text is sent to our AI provider (OpenAI) solely to generate the result you asked for; for that reason, we recommend not submitting information you would not want processed by an external AI service.

Account security and email verification

Accounts are protected with securely hashed passwords - we never store your password in plain text. When you register with an email address, we ask you to verify it by clicking a link we send you. Email verification keeps accounts secure, helps prevent abuse, and ensures we can reach you for important notices such as password resets. You can also sign in with Google or Microsoft, in which case your account is verified automatically.

Payments handled by Stripe

Premium subscriptions are processed by Stripe, a leading payment provider. PDFBEAR does not see or store your full card numbers - that information goes straight to Stripe. We keep only a customer and subscription identifier so we can manage your plan and billing status. This keeps your payment details out of our systems entirely.

Where your files are stored

Your uploaded and converted files are stored on reputable S3-compatible object storage (such as Wasabi or AWS), with access controls in place so that files are tied to your account. If you create a share link, the shared page is set to noindex/nofollow so search engines do not index it; only people who have that exact link can open the file, and you can revoke access by deleting the file at any time.

How to delete your data

You are always in control of your data. To remove a single document, open your file manager and delete it. To delete your entire account and the data associated with it, contact us through the contact page and we will take care of it. Free-account files also clear themselves automatically 14 days after your last activity, so nothing lingers indefinitely.

Learn more

For the full legal detail on what we collect and how we handle it, read our Privacy Policy. If you have any security or privacy question that is not answered here, please get in touch - we are happy to help.

Security workflows inside PDFBEAR

For sensitive documents, choose the workflow that matches the risk: Protect PDF for password access, Redact PDF for removing confidential content, Unlock PDF for permitted restriction removal, and Flatten PDF when form fields or annotations should become fixed page content.

The Trust Center summarizes file handling, privacy, account controls and support links in one place.