A simple, honest PDF utility that respects your privacy.
Most PDF websites ask you to upload your sensitive documents—bank statements, IDs, contracts—to their servers. Even if they promise to delete them, your data still leaves your device and travels across the internet.
I built PaperKnife to solve this. It's a collection of tools that run entirely in your browser or on your phone. Your files never leave your memory, they aren't stored in any database, and no server ever sees them. It works 100% offline.
- Modify: Merge multiple files, split pages, rotate, and rearrange.
- Optimize: Reduce file size with different quality presets.
- Secure: Encrypt files with passwords or remove them locally.
- Convert: Convert between PDF and images (JPG/PNG) or plain text.
- Sign: Add an electronic signature to your documents safely.
- Sanitize: Deep clean metadata (like Author or Producer) to keep your files anonymous.
- On Android: Download the latest APK or get it from:
- On the Web: Visit the live site. You can use it like any other website, or "install" it as a PWA for offline access.
PaperKnife now supports a native Windows 11 desktop build using Electron, while preserving the same local/offline PDF processing flow used in the web/app versions.
- Install Node.js 20+.
- Install dependencies:
npm install
- Run in desktop development mode:
npm run desktop:dev
- Build Windows installers/executables (
nsis+portable):npm run desktop:build
Artifacts are generated under dist/ (web build) and dist/ subfolders such as dist/win-unpacked + installer outputs (Windows packages).
PaperKnife is a solo project. It's open-source, ad-free, and tracker-free because I believe privacy is a right, not a luxury.
If this tool has saved you time or kept your data safe, please consider:
- Sponsoring: Support development via GitHub Sponsors.
- Giving a Star: It helps other people find the project.
- Spreading the word: Share it with anyone who handles sensitive documents.
PaperKnife is built with React and TypeScript. The core processing is handled by pdf-lib and pdfjs-dist, which run in a sandboxed environment using WebAssembly. The Android version is powered by Capacitor.
This project is licensed under the GNU AGPL v3 to ensure it remains open and transparent forever.
Made with care by potatameister