We'll be honest
with you.
Most software companies hide their limitations. We'd rather you know exactly what LockedPDFs can and cannot do — before you pay us anything.
5 min read
What LockedPDFs Does Well
These are the things we do
reliably, properly, and privately.
All of the above happen entirely inside your browser. Your files never leave your device. Ever.
What We Cannot Do — And Why
Honest about
our limits.
OCR (making scanned documents searchable)
Why: OCR requires AI/ML processing that needs a powerful server. Running it in a browser is not feasible today.
Use instead: Adobe Acrobat Pro, or ABBYY FineReader.
PDF to Word / Excel / PowerPoint conversion
Why: Converting PDF to editable formats requires LibreOffice or similar software running on a server. We don't have a server that touches your files — so we can't do this.
Use instead: Microsoft Word (open PDF directly), Adobe Acrobat Pro, or iLovePDF (accept the privacy tradeoff).
Deep image compression (70%+ file size reduction)
Why: Dramatically reducing file size requires resampling (reducing quality of) images embedded in the PDF — which needs Ghostscript, a server-side tool. Our browser compression saves 5-25% by removing structural redundancy. Honest, but limited.
Use instead: Smallpdf or iLovePDF for heavy compression (your file will be uploaded to their servers).
Editing existing text in a PDF
Why: True PDF text editing is extremely complex — fonts need to be embedded, text reflow needs to be managed, the PDF structure needs to be rebuilt. No browser-side library handles this well.
Use instead: Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Filling and signing PDF forms
Why: Coming in a future version. Not available today.
Use instead: DocuSign, Adobe Sign, or DigiLocker.
Batch processing (processing 50 files automatically)
Why: Not built yet. Each tool works on one file at a time (except Merge, which accepts multiple).
Use instead: Stirling PDF (self-hosted) has automation pipelines if you're comfortable with Docker.
Processing very large files (above 200MB) reliably
Why: Everything runs in your browser's memory (RAM). Very large files can cause your browser tab to slow down or crash. This is a fundamental browser limitation, not a bug we can fix.
Use instead: Split very large files on a desktop tool first, then use LockedPDFs for the resulting smaller files.
Critical Warning
Read this before
using redaction.
IMPORTANT — READ THIS BEFORE USING REDACTION
Our redaction tool draws black boxes over content. It does NOT permanently remove the underlying text from the PDF file.
What this means in practice: a technically skilled person using the right software could potentially extract text that sits underneath our black boxes.
This is called “visual redaction” — it is NOT the same as “secure redaction” used in legal and government contexts.
When to use our redaction tool
When NOT to use our redaction tool
For legally secure redaction use: Adobe Acrobat Pro (Redact tool with “Apply Redactions”) which permanently removes content from the PDF byte stream.
We would rather lose your business than have you use our tool incorrectly for something this important.
Honest Compression Numbers
The real numbers,
no marketing spin.
Our compression tool removes structural redundancy in PDF files. Here is what you can realistically expect:
We will always show you the before and after file size so you can judge whether it was worth it.
Why can't we do better? Deep compression — the kind that gets 60-80% reduction — works by resampling (reducing quality of) images embedded in the PDF. This requires Ghostscript, a tool that runs on a server. We don't process your files on a server. That's the privacy tradeoff, and we think it's worth it.
If you need heavy compression and are okay with your file being uploaded to an external server: Smallpdf and iLovePDF do this well. We'd rather you use the right tool than the wrong one.
File Size Limits
What your browser
can handle.
| Plan | Limit |
|---|---|
| Free | 25 MB per file maximum |
| Pro | No hard limit (see practical guidance below) |
| Team | No hard limit (see practical guidance below) |
Practical guidance for Pro & Team
Because processing happens in your browser, very large files depend on your device's available RAM and browser performance.
We show a warning for files above 100 MB so you know what to expect. We never silently fail — if something goes wrong, we tell you clearly.
Browser Support
Supported
browsers.
Works well
Does not support
If you're in a corporate environment with a restricted browser, LockedPDFs may not work. We cannot control what your IT team has blocked.
Privacy — What It Actually Means
What “your files never leave
your device” actually means.
What it means
When you process a PDF on LockedPDFs, the file is read into your browser's memory, processed there, and downloaded back to your computer. At no point does the file travel over the internet to any server — ours or anyone else's.
You can verify this yourself: Open Chrome → press F12 → go to Network tab → process a PDF. You will see zero outbound requests carrying your file data. This is a technical fact, not a marketing claim.
What it does NOT mean
Why It's Free
How we keep
everything free.
All tools are completely free. No credit card required. No “free trial that auto-charges.”
Why it works
What we don't do
Honestly — Who This Is Not For
LockedPDFs is probably
not the right tool if…
We would rather you use the right tool for your needs than pay us for something that doesn't fit your workflow.
Why We Wrote This Page
Most software companies list only what their product can do. Limitations are buried in fine print, hidden in FAQs, or discovered only after you've paid.
We think that's wrong.
If you're a CA using this for client documents, you need to know exactly what you're trusting. If you're a CS relying on redaction for board packs, you need to know its limits. If you're a CMA handling cost audit data, you need to understand precisely what “private” means here.
We built LockedPDFs for professionals who take their obligations seriously. The least we can do is be equally serious about being straight with you.
If something on this page raises a concern for your use case, email us at rushabh.jamdade@mail.ca.in before buying. We'll tell you honestly whether LockedPDFs is right for you.