The file stays in the tab
PDF.js and pdf-lib operate on an in-memory copy. Closing the tab wipes it. There is no upload endpoint to leak, log or retain.
100% browser-native · no uploads
Every PDF tool.
Zero uploads.
Merge, split, sign, redact, compress, convert and OCR — a complete PDF workstation that runs inside your browser. Your document never leaves the tab.
- No account
- No watermark
- No file-size limit from us
- Works offline
0bytes uploaded
30+PDF tools
AES-256real encryption
100%offline capable
Why local-first
Some documents should never touch a server.
Contracts, medical records, payslips, ID scans, client files. Uploading them to a free converter means trusting an unknown machine with the original. NOVA PDF removes that decision: the engine is downloaded once, and the file is processed on your own hardware.
No account, no paywall
Every tool is available on first load. No sign-up wall in front of “download”, no watermark stamped onto your work.
Honest engineering
Text stays selectable, signatures are real PDF objects, encryption is AES-256, and redaction physically removes content instead of drawing a box over it.
The workbench
30+ tools. One private workspace.
Open several PDFs, move between tools, and download the result. Batch mode applies a tool to every open document.
Organise
- Merge PDFsCombine files in a chosen order.
- Split PDFRanges, fixed chunks, single pages or size limits.
- Organise pagesDrag, rotate, duplicate and delete with live thumbnails.
- Rotate PDFAny page, 90°, 180° or 270°.
- Extract pagesKeep only what you need in a clean file.
- Crop / trimRemove margins and rebuild the page at the new size.
- Resize pagesA4, A3, A5, Letter, Legal with fit or fill.
- Multiple per sheet2, 4, 6 or 9-up imposition.
- BookletSaddle-stitch sheets ready for double-sided printing.
Edit
- WatermarkText or logo, tiled, rotated, with opacity control.
- Page numbersCustom format, position and starting number.
- Header & footerRunning title, date and page tokens.
- Bates numberingLegal sequential stamps with a prefix.
- Sign & stampDraw, type or upload a signature and place it.
- AnnotateText, highlights, boxes and freehand notes.
- Fill formsAcroForm fields with optional flattening.
- MetadataRewrite title, author, subject and keywords.
- Clean & repairFlatten, sanitize or rebuild a damaged file.
Convert
- PDF → imagesPNG, JPEG or WebP up to 600 DPI.
- Images → PDFJPG, PNG, WebP and AVIF with page layout.
- PDF → textThe real text layer, page by page.
- PDF → HTMLA clean, self-contained reading page.
- PDF → MarkdownStructured paragraphs and headings.
- PDF → JSONPages, sizes, metadata and text for pipelines.
- Text / Markdown → PDFTypeset with Unicode and Greek support.
- PDF/ALong-term archive conversion (PDF/A-2b, 3b).
Optimise, secure & extract
- CompressImage recompression or lossless rewriting.
- GrayscaleNeutral printouts and smaller scans.
- OCRSearchable PDFs in eight languages, on device.
- ProtectAES-256 with granular permissions.
- Remove passwordUnlock a file you own into an unencrypted copy.
- RedactPermanent removal, not a black rectangle on top.
- Document inspectorPages, fonts, scripts and attachments.
- Compare versionsSide-by-side and pixel diff for every page.
The difference
A converter uploads. A workstation does not.
| Capability | Typical online converter | NOVA PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Document transfer | Uploaded to a server | Never leaves the device |
| Account required | Often, for larger files | Never |
| Watermark on output | Common on free tiers | None |
| File-size limit | Server quota | Your device's memory |
| Offline use | Impossible | Installable PWA |
| Encryption | Server-side, logged | AES-256 in-browser |
| Redaction | Often only a black box | Content physically removed |
| Batch workflow | Paid tier | Every tool |
| Tool breadth | 10–20 tools | 30+ tools incl. OCR and PDF/A |
How it works
Three steps. No round trip.
1
Open a PDF or image
Drag it anywhere, or use the file picker. Password-protected PDFs ask for the password locally.
2
Choose a tool
Search with Ctrl K, tune the options, and watch a live page preview when placement matters.
3
Download the result
The output is generated in memory and saved by your browser. The original is untouched.
Engine
Mozilla PDF.js for rendering and text extraction, pdf-lib for writing real PDF objects and AES-256 encryption.
OCR
Tesseract compiled to WebAssembly. Language models are cached after the first run, then OCR works offline.
Offline
A service worker caches the workbench and its fonts. Use “Make available offline” once for the complete engine.
Verifiable
Open DevTools → Network while processing a file. You will see no request carrying the document.
Questions
Straight answers.
Are my PDF files uploaded to a server?
No. NOVA PDF runs PDF.js, pdf-lib and Tesseract in your browser. Your document stays in the tab's memory and is never sent anywhere. You can confirm it in the browser's Network panel: there are no upload requests.
Is NOVA PDF free?
Yes. Every tool is free, with no account, no watermark and no file-size limit imposed by us. The only limit is the memory of your own device.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Install NOVA PDF as a PWA or use the offline copy button once. After the engine is cached, the workbench starts and processes files without a connection.
Is the redaction permanent?
Yes. Redaction flattens the page at high resolution, paints the selected areas black, and rebuilds the PDF, so the covered text and images no longer exist in the output file.
Which encryption is used?
AES-256 (PDF 2.0 revision 6), with separate user and owner passwords and permission flags for printing, copying, editing, annotations and form filling.
Can it read scanned PDFs?
Yes. OCR rasterises each page locally, recognises the text with Tesseract, and writes an invisible text layer back into a searchable PDF. English, Greek, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Dutch are included.
Which browsers are supported?
Current Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari on desktop. Mobile browsers work for smaller files; very large documents need desktop memory.
Do you keep analytics or logs?
No document content, filenames or metadata is transmitted. The application is static and performs no telemetry calls.
Ready when you are
Open a document. Keep it yours.
No sign-up screen, no upload bar, no waiting queue. The engine is already in the tab.