Privacy Policy.

1. Files you process

The files you drop into removemetadata.tools are processed entirely inside your web browser using JavaScript and the pdf-lib and JSZip libraries. They are not uploaded to our servers. We do not see them, store them, scan them, or have any way to reconstruct them after you close the tab.

Cleaned files are returned to you via a browser download. After you close the tab, all trace of the processing is gone.

2. Information we collect automatically

When you visit our website, our hosting provider and our analytics tool collect the following standard technical information:

• Your IP address (anonymized — the last octet is truncated before storage)
• Your browser type, operating system, and device class
• The pages you visited and the referrer URL that led you to us
• The approximate duration of your visit

We use this information to understand which features are useful and to fix technical problems. We do not use it to build advertising profiles or to identify you as an individual.

3. Cookies and similar technologies

Your files are always processed entirely in your browser and are never uploaded — that never changes. Separately from file processing, this site uses cookies and similar technologies for analytics and advertising, which fund keeping the tools free. The categories are:

• Theme preference — a single localStorage entry that remembers light or dark mode. It never leaves your device and is not a tracking cookie.
• Consent preference — a single localStorage entry (rmt_consent) that remembers whether you accepted or rejected analytics and advertising cookies, so we don't ask again on every visit.
• Google Analytics — used to understand aggregate, anonymized usage (which pages are visited, broad country/region, device type). It is configured with IP anonymization and Google Consent Mode v2.
• Advertising cookies — set by our advertising partners (Google AdSense and Adsterra) to serve ads and measure their performance. These may include cookies used for ad personalization and frequency capping.

In the EU/EEA, UK, Switzerland, and California, none of the analytics or advertising cookies load until you click Accept on our consent banner — analytics and ads are blocked by default in those regions and only run with your consent. Everywhere else, they load on page visit; you can opt out at any time using the "Cookies" button or your browser settings. Disabling all cookies does not affect the tool's functionality.

4. Advertising

To keep every tool free, this site displays advertising from Google AdSense and Adsterra, and uses Google Analytics to measure usage. These partners may use cookies and similar technologies to serve and measure ads, including — where you have consented — personalized advertising based on your interests.

Important: ads and analytics operate only on page content and standard browsing signals. They have no access to the files you process. Your files never leave your browser, are never uploaded to us or to any advertiser, and are never used for ad targeting. The advertising is funded by page views, not by anything in your files.

You can control or opt out of personalized advertising:

• Use the "Cookies" button (shown after you make a choice in consent-required regions) to withdraw or change consent at any time.
• Google's ad settings: adssettings.google.com.
• Industry opt-out tools: YourAdChoices (DAA) and Your Online Choices (EU).

For details on how Google uses data from sites that use its services, see Google's partner-sites policy.

5. Third-party services & links

We rely on the following third-party services, each governed by its own privacy policy:

• Google Analytics & Google AdSense — Google Privacy Policy.
• Adsterra (advertising) — Adsterra Privacy Policy.

Our Free Tools page also links to a network of independently-operated websites, each with its own privacy policy. When you click an outbound link you leave our site; we use rel="nofollow noopener" on these links so the linked sites do not get access to your browser session on our site.

6. Data we never collect

• The contents of any file you process
• The metadata fields you chose to keep or remove
• Your name, email, or other identifying information (unless you write to us)
• Geolocation more precise than country/region

7. Your rights (GDPR / CCPA)

We do not store personal data about you in any identifying form on our own servers, so requests to access, correct, or delete personal data often have no data on our side to act upon. However, because we use Google Analytics and advertising partners (Google AdSense and Adsterra), those services may process data subject to your rights:

• Consent & withdrawal (GDPR). In the EU/EEA, UK, and Switzerland, analytics and advertising cookies do not load until you consent, and you can withdraw consent at any time via the "Cookies" button. Withdrawing stops further analytics and advertising cookies.
• Do Not Sell or Share (CCPA/CPRA). California visitors are treated the same as consent-required regions: analytics and ads are off by default until you accept, and you can opt out again at any time via the "Cookies" button. We do not sell your personal information for money.
• Partner data. To exercise rights over data held by Google or Adsterra, see their respective privacy policies (linked in section 5) and Google's ad settings.

If you contacted us by email, you have the right to request a copy of that correspondence, correct it, or have it deleted. Email us at the address on the contact page.

8. Children's privacy

removemetadata.tools is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

9. Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. For material changes, we'll display a notice on the homepage for at least 30 days.

10. Contact

Questions about this policy? Write to us via the contact page.