Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. All 36 PDF tools and the full PDF editor are free to use, with no payment and no account needed. Without an account you can work with files up to 10 MB and 30 pages. A free account raises the page limit to 50.

No. All tools work without an account, for files up to 10 MB and 30 pages. Create a free account for PDFs of up to 50 pages.

Docshar works on all modern browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge and Opera on Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android. You need JavaScript enabled. For best performance, keep your browser updated to the latest version.

Yes. All tools are fully responsive and work on iPhone and Android. You can upload files from your Photos or Files app, edit them in your browser, and download the result.

Yes. Your files are processed entirely in your web browser on your device. Nothing is uploaded to Docshar’s servers. PDFs are opened, edited and saved locally. The only exception is when you use AI features (Ask AI, command bar), where your request and document text are sent to Google Gemini. Read our Privacy Policy for complete details.

Your files are yours to keep. Downloaded files are standard PDFs that work with any PDF reader. Your files are never uploaded to Docshar, so we have no copy to keep or delete.

No. Your documents stay on your device in your browser. Docshar’s servers never see them. The only data sent to our servers is usage statistics (no document content) and, if you use AI features, your request and document text go to Google Gemini (see the Privacy Policy).

Without an account: up to 10 MB per file and 30 pages. With a free account: up to 10 MB per file and 50 pages. These limits apply to each operation. If you need to process larger files, you can split them into smaller parts.

First, check the file size (under 10 MB) and page count (under 30 pages without an account). If it’s a scanned PDF, the OCR tool needs a moment to load its text-recognition files the first time you use it. If an error persists, try a different browser or clear your cache. Contact us if the problem continues.

Partly. After your first visit, Docshar keeps its files on your device, so tools you have already used keep working without a connection. AI features always need an internet connection.

Some PDFs have little that can be removed without losing quality. Text-heavy PDFs, embedded fonts and certain image formats compress less. Try allowing pages to become images, removing unnecessary pages, or starting with a cleaner source (re-scan at lower resolution or in grayscale). See the Compress guide for step-by-step help.

AI features are powered by Google Gemini. When you use the Ask AI panel in the PDF editor or the command bar to run a tool with plain-language instructions, your request and (for chat and editing) the text of your document are sent to Google for processing. We ask for your permission first. Everyone gets free AI requests every day, with or without an account.

Your AI requests and document text are sent to Google Gemini for processing. Google’s handling of that data is governed by Google’s privacy policy. We do not store your questions, answers or document contents ourselves.

Docshar’s editor is designed for everyday PDF editing: changing text, adding text and images, highlighting, drawing, signing and form-filling. For complex tasks like advanced form creation, JavaScript in PDFs or complex layouts, Adobe Acrobat is more comprehensive. Docshar focuses on what most people do with PDFs every day.

Scanned PDFs are images, so you cannot edit the text directly like you would in a PDF created from a document. Use the OCR tool to make the scan searchable and extract the text, or add new text on top with the text tool in the editor.

PDFs made from Office documents often have complex layouts, custom fonts and formatting that work differently in a browser than in desktop software. Docshar can edit text, add text and images, and sign them, but major layout changes may not work as expected. For full editing of document layouts, consider converting the PDF back to Word with the PDF to Word tool and editing there.

Use the Protect PDF tool. Upload your PDF, set a password, and choose what restrictions apply (no printing, no copying, no editing). The protected file downloads immediately and is not stored on our servers.

Yes. The Merge PDF tool combines PDFs and images into one PDF in the order you choose. You can also use Alternate & Mix to join front-and-back scans of the same document.

The home page has all 36 tools organized by category. Use the search bar to find tools by name, or check the Guides section for step-by-step help on common tasks like compressing, converting, merging and splitting PDFs.