Sanitize PDF
Strip auto-run actions and embedded scripts from a PDF.
Sanitize PDF removes the common auto-execution mechanisms a PDF can carry — an open action, additional actions, and embedded JavaScript — so the file can't try to run code when it's opened.
Click to choose a PDF, or drag one in here
One file at a time
How to use
- Upload a PDF from a source you don't fully trust.
- Click "Sanitize & download" to remove its open-actions, additional actions, and embedded JavaScript name tree.
Common use scenarios
- Cleaning up a PDF received from an untrusted or unknown source before opening it more freely.
- Stripping leftover automation (like an auto-print or auto-launch action) from a PDF built with authoring software.
- Preparing a PDF for distribution without any embedded scripts.
- Adding a defensive cleaning step to a document-handling workflow.
✓Content & verification reviewed: 2026-09-17
How we verify Sanitize PDF
How to understand what this tool does and doesn't protect against.
Targets known auto-execution vectors
This removes the PDF's OpenAction, additional actions, and embedded JavaScript name tree — the standard ways a PDF can try to run code automatically.
Not a full malware scanner
This is a targeted cleaning step, not a comprehensive antivirus scan — it won't detect every possible malicious technique a crafted PDF could use.
Visible content is unaffected
Sanitizing only touches the automation/script mechanisms — the document's visible text, images, and layout stay exactly the same.
Before you rely on the result
- You understand this targets common auto-run mechanisms, not a full security scan.
- You've sanitized the file before opening it in a viewer with heavier PDF-JavaScript support if the source is untrusted.
- You still exercise normal caution with files from sources you don't recognize.
Who this is for
- Anyone who received a PDF from an unfamiliar or untrusted source.
- People cleaning up leftover automation from PDFs generated by authoring tools.
- Anyone adding a defensive step before redistributing a document.
Real-world examples
Cleaning a downloaded PDF before opening
Someone downloads a PDF from an unfamiliar website and sanitizes it first to strip any embedded auto-actions before opening it in their usual PDF reader.
Removing leftover authoring automation
A PDF exported from specialized software carries an auto-print action left over from its template; sanitizing removes it before the file is shared.
Limitations
- Targets the common auto-execution vectors (OpenAction, additional actions, JavaScript names) — it isn't a full malware scan.
Frequently asked questions
Does this guarantee the PDF is completely safe?
No — it removes common auto-execution mechanisms, but it isn't a substitute for antivirus scanning or general caution with untrusted files.
Will this change how the document looks?
No — only automation and script mechanisms are removed; visible content is untouched.
What exactly gets removed?
The document's OpenAction, additional actions (AA) at both the document and page level, and the embedded JavaScript name tree.
🔒 Runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded. Results are for reference only; see the disclaimer. Last updated: 2026-09-17
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