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When to use each PDF app
Most PDF apps on this site run in the browser. A few heavier conversions still go to the queue. Use this guide when the PDF hub feels crowded.
Stay in the browser
Merge PDFs when you have several files and want one document. Split or remove pages when you only need part of a file. Rotate when a scan is sideways. Watermark to stamp text on every page. Page numbers for headers or footers.
Edit, sign, and fill are for markup, signatures, and form fields. PDF to JPG, Word, and Excel extract pages or text without uploading. Secure PDF locks or unlocks a password in the tab.
These flows are a fit for contracts and forms you do not want sitting on a server.
Send to the queue
OCR PDF is for scans that have no real text. PDF to PowerPoint builds a slide deck on the server. Compress PDF is for large files that need a smaller download on the dashboard.
Sign in for those jobs, then watch progress on the dashboard. Download before the retention window ends.
Open an app
Start with Merge PDF, Rotate PDF, Watermark PDF, or Page numbers. Cloud jobs are OCR PDF, PDF to PPT, and Compress PDF.