PDF: Private Document Fortress — Privacy Policy

Effective date and last updated: 1 November 2026
Applies to: PDF: Private Document Fortress for macOS and https://free-pdf.xyz/.

1. Who we are

PDF: Private Document Fortress (the “App”) is a Mac application for working with PDFs, Markdown and images, including optional local AI assistance called Custōs. It is created and provided by Elijah Wong (“we”, “us” or “our”), an individual developer. This policy explains how the App and website handle information and your related rights. Contact support@free-pdf.xyz with any privacy question.

2. What we do not collect

During ordinary local use, your documents, OCR results, annotations, signatures and local AI prompts and answers are processed on your Mac. We do not receive this content, upload it to a publisher-operated AI service or use it to train models. PDF compression and signature background removal also run locally.

The App requires no account, sign-up or profile and includes no publisher advertising, behavioural analytics or tracking SDK. We do not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioural advertising. Optional model downloads, external links, support correspondence and website visits involve external services as explained below; the App is not described as making no network connections.

3. Where your data is stored

Your documents and exports are saved to the locations you choose. App settings, saved signatures and model files are stored locally. Saved signatures include their names and drawing strokes or imported image data; they are not separately encrypted by the App. Personal PDF bookmarks are saved in the document outline when you save the PDF. Recent-document references and legacy local bookmark records may reveal file names or locations.

Editing, conversion, OCR, compression and password operations can create temporary documents, extracted text, page images and previews. Unlocking a PDF can create decrypted working material. PDF password protection uses AES-256 for the encrypted output; during the operation the password and options may be written to a temporary configuration file with restricted permissions. This is not a password vault or encryption of all local data. The App attempts to remove working folders when operations finish, but interruption or a crash can leave files behind. It does not promise secure erasure or password recovery.

A rejected PDF text edit may leave before-and-after page images and a technical diagnostic report in the App’s temporary directory. Those images can contain readable document content. They stay local and are not automatically sent to us; they may remain after the operation.

The clipboard tray holds areas you explicitly copy during the running session, across tabs and windows. It does not continuously monitor the system clipboard. Copy Area also writes the image to the macOS clipboard; clearing the tray does not clear that clipboard or copies held by other services.

You can delete saved signatures, remove models and clear tray items using the App’s controls. Removing an imported model copy does not remove its original folder. Deletion does not remove content already placed in documents, exported, backed up or copied elsewhere. Uninstalling the App may leave documents, models, caches or backups requiring separate removal. We cannot remotely access or delete your local files.

Exports can contain existing metadata, comment names and signature artwork. Saving to synced folders, using backups, printing or sharing through another service can transfer information under your chosen settings and that service’s terms. Review files before sharing.

4. Information handled by Apple

Apple handles App Store downloads and related transactions under its own privacy policy: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/. We do not operate an app-account or payment database.

Apple may make aggregate App Store reports and, depending on your settings and its services, app diagnostics available to us. Diagnostics can contain device and software information and error details; we do not assume every report is anonymous. We use reports received to investigate faults, understand overall app distribution and improve reliability, not for advertising or model training. This is separate from an in-app publisher analytics service.

5. Purchases

The current App is free to use, with no subscription or in-app purchases. We do not collect payment-card information through the App. Any future purchasing feature would be described before use and reflected in this policy as appropriate.

6. Third-party components and optional models

The App includes third-party software components used for local document processing. Optional AI inference runs on your Mac using a compatible local model. You can import supported model files from a local folder or choose to download a model. Features that do not require a model can be used without a model download.

Downloading a model contacts Hugging Face and its delivery infrastructure for model information and files. These services receive your IP address, requested resources, request times and client information. Their published policy describes recording service/session, location and device information for operation, security, analysis, improvement and legal purposes. Connection information may indicate approximate location and may be linked to the connection or device; the App does not request GPS location for downloads. These requests do not contain your document text or AI prompts.

This provider collection is reflected in the App Store privacy disclosures for Product Interaction, Coarse Location and Other Data Types, used for App Functionality and Analytics and linked to identity. We do not use these requests for cross-app advertising tracking. Provider retention and privacy requests are governed by https://huggingface.co/privacy; we do not control provider logs. Separately obtained model licences also apply.

Opening an external link contacts its destination through your browser or the appropriate system app. The Markdown reader does not automatically fetch remote images or execute document scripts; supported local images are read from the document’s folder.

7. This website and support

The website describes the App and provides legal information, support contact details and any expressly offered downloads. It does not provide accounts, direct sales or a document-upload service. The supplied website code contains no advertising or analytics tools.

Cloudflare provides website traffic delivery and protection. Website service providers may process IP addresses, requested URLs, request times, browser/client information and security events to deliver pages, investigate problems and protect the service. Cloudflare’s __cf_bm bot-protection cookie was observed on the site; it expires after 30 minutes of continuous inactivity. See https://developers.cloudflare.com/fundamentals/reference/policies-compliances/cloudflare-cookies/.

The site also stores your accent-colour and light/dark preferences in your browser’s local storage. These remain until changed or cleared through your browser; the site code does not send these preferences to us for analytics. We set no advertising cookies.

If you email support@free-pdf.xyz, we receive your email address, message, attachments and any other information you choose to send. Email delivery and mailbox providers process this correspondence to deliver and store it. We use it to respond, investigate issues and meet applicable obligations, not for advertising or model training. Providing it is voluntary; please remove confidential material and avoid sending passwords or signature images. A support request is not a general permission for us to access your local documents.

8. Security, retention and service providers

Protect your Mac with appropriate permissions, operating-system updates, a strong password, device encryption and suitable backups. Local documents, temporary material, signatures and clipboard copies depend on your device and sharing settings. No storage or transmission method is completely secure.

We keep support correspondence and downloaded diagnostics only for as long as reasonably needed to address the request, investigate the fault or satisfy a specific legal, dispute or security need, and then delete or de-identify them. Access is limited to people and service providers who need the information for these purposes. This describes copies we control; Apple, model-download and website/email providers control their own service records under their terms and applicable law.

Service providers may process information in countries outside your own. We use providers for delivery, hosting, security and support, and may disclose information where legally required or necessary to establish or defend a legal claim. Applicable data-protection requirements continue to apply to international processing; this policy does not treat use of the App as blanket consent to new processing or transfers.

9. Children

The App is a general-purpose document tool, not a service directed specifically at children. We do not intentionally solicit children’s personal information through support or the website. A parent or guardian may contact us about information a child has sent. Local document processing does not create a publisher-held database of children’s documents.

10. Your rights under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance

This policy is provided having regard to Hong Kong’s Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486). Subject to its procedures and exemptions, you may ask whether we hold your personal data, request access and correction, and ask about our data-handling practices. Contact support@free-pdf.xyz. We may need proportionate identity verification before responding. You may raise concerns with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data at https://www.pcpd.org.hk/.

We do not maintain a user database of your local documents. Rights requests concern information we actually hold, such as support correspondence. Depending on applicable law, you may also have rights to deletion, restriction, objection, portability or withdrawal of consent. We will explain any lawful exception. Requests concerning information independently held by Apple or other providers should be directed to them. Where a legal basis is required, support is processed to address your request, proportionate administration and security rely on legitimate interests where permitted, and legally required processing relies on the applicable obligation; consent is sought separately where required.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when the App, services or applicable requirements change. We will update the date and provide additional notice or obtain consent where required before materially changing processing. Posting a revision or continuing to use the App does not by itself authorise a new use of previously collected information where further agreement is required.

12. Governing law and jurisdiction

This policy is governed by Hong Kong law, subject to mandatory protections that apply to you. Hong Kong courts have non-exclusive jurisdiction, without removing any mandatory right to bring proceedings or complain to a regulator elsewhere. This section does not limit your data-protection rights.

13. Contact information

Elijah Wong
support@free-pdf.xyz
https://free-pdf.xyz/