How it works
Edit any PDF in three steps
Upload your PDF
Drag a PDF into the editor or click to choose a file. Your document opens instantly — nothing is sent to any server.
Edit with the toolbar
Add text, draw, highlight, sign, fill forms, merge pages, or run OCR — all tools are available in the left toolbar.
Download your file
Click "Save changes" and download the finished PDF directly to your device. No account, no watermark, no waiting.
Tools included
Everything you need for everyday PDF work
PDF Editor
Add text boxes, freehand drawings, highlights, shapes, and images anywhere on the page. Sign documents by drawing or typing your signature. Fill and flatten AcroForm fields.
Merge PDFs
Combine multiple PDF files into a single document. Upload them in any order, rearrange if needed, and download the merged result.
Convert to PDF
Turn JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, and .txt files into PDF documents. Batch-convert multiple images at once entirely in your browser.
Compress PDF
Reduce PDF file size by re-rendering pages at a lower resolution. Ideal for scanned documents where smaller size matters more than perfect fidelity.
Lock PDF
Password-protect your PDF with an open password (required to view) and an optional permissions password (required to print or edit).
OCR — Make PDFs Searchable
Add an invisible text layer to scanned or image-based PDFs so the content becomes searchable and selectable. Powered by Tesseract, running entirely in your browser.
Why ClearwayPDF
Built for people tired of PDF paywalls
Most PDF tools lock basic features behind a subscription, add watermarks to free exports, or require an account before you can do anything. ClearwayPDF does none of that. It runs entirely in your browser so your documents stay private, and it is free to use because it is supported by ads and optional donations.
- No subscription or paywall
- No file uploads — fully private
- No watermarks on output
- No account or login needed
- Works on any modern browser
- All processing stays on your device
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- Is ClearwayPDF really free?
- Yes. ClearwayPDF is completely free to use with no paywalls, no watermarks, and no subscription required. It is supported by ads and optional donations.
- Do my files get uploaded to a server?
- No. All PDF processing happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your files never leave your device — there is no upload and no cloud storage.
- Do I need to create an account?
- No account or login is required. Open the site and start editing immediately.
- What can I do with the PDF editor?
- You can add text, draw freehand, highlight areas, add rectangles, lines, and arrows, insert images, draw or type a signature, fill in form fields, reorder pages, rotate pages, add watermarks, stamp page numbers, and split or extract pages.
- Can I make a scanned PDF searchable?
- Yes. The OCR tab uses Tesseract to recognise text in scanned PDFs and embeds an invisible searchable text layer — all processed in your browser.
- Is ClearwayPDF a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat or Smallpdf?
- Yes. ClearwayPDF covers most everyday PDF tasks that Smallpdf, ILovePDF, and basic Adobe Acrobat handle — for free, with no uploads and no account required.
- What file size limit does ClearwayPDF support?
- You can upload PDF files up to 100 MB. Because processing happens in your browser, very large files may take a moment to open depending on your device.
- Does ClearwayPDF work offline?
- Once the page has loaded, most tools work without an internet connection. The OCR feature downloads the Tesseract language model on first use, which requires a connection.