PDFSanitize
PDFSanitize Pro (planned)

Remove PDF Attachments

Find and remove files embedded inside a PDF before sharing it. Processing happens locally in your browser.

Your PDF stays on your device. Nothing is uploaded.

Why your file stays private

PDFSanitize processes this operation inside your browser. The PDF is read, cleaned and rebuilt on your device instead of being uploaded for server-side processing.

  • Your browser reads the file you choose directly from your device.
  • Checking, cleaning and re-checking all run in this browser tab.
  • The cleaned copy is created in memory and saved with your browser's normal download.
  • As an extra safeguard, this page's security policy tells your browser to block it from making network requests.

What are embedded files in a PDF?

A PDF can carry other files inside it. Some apps call them attachments, others embedded files or a PDF portfolio. An attachment is a complete file, such as an Excel spreadsheet, a text or CSV file, an XML invoice, an image, a ZIP archive or another PDF, stored inside the document. You usually find them in the viewer's attachments panel, and sometimes as a paperclip or pin icon on a page.

How can a PDF contain another file?

The PDF keeps a list of its embedded files, a bit like a table of contents that isn't printed. Each entry records the file's name, an optional description, its type and size, and points to the file's bytes, which are stored in the PDF alongside everything else. A page can also carry an attachment icon that points to one of those files. Because the files live in that list rather than on the pages, you can't see them just by scrolling through the document.

Are embedded files the same as page images?

No. A photo or logo you can see on a page is part of the page content, and fonts are stored separately too. Neither is an attachment, and this tool doesn't touch them. Removing an embedded file doesn't change what the pages look like.

Why remove embedded attachments before sharing?

Attachments are often added on purpose, and many are harmless. But they're easy to forget. A report exported from an office suite may carry the source spreadsheet with all its working. A contract pack may include supporting documents meant for internal review. An e-invoice may embed the full data file behind it. And a PDF that was reused as a template can keep files from an earlier version. If the recipient only needs the pages, removing what they don't need keeps the file to what you meant to send.

What the tool shows about each attachment

For every embedded file you see its name, a description if the author added one, its type (for example “Excel spreadsheet” or “PNG image”) and its size when the PDF records it. You also see where it's referenced: attached to the document as a whole, shown as an icon on a particular page, or both. The tool never guesses a size the file doesn't record. Names are shown exactly as stored, even odd ones such as paths or code, and are never used to open anything.

How to remove attachments from a PDF

  1. Drop the PDF onto the tool above, or choose it from your device.
  2. Review the list of embedded files: name, type, size and where each is referenced. All are selected; untick any you want to keep.
  3. Select Remove Selected Attachments. A new copy is created; your original file isn't changed.
  4. The copy is re-opened and checked before you download it.

Does removing attachments change the visible PDF?

It shouldn't, and the tool checks. After removal it re-opens the new copy and confirms that the selected files, and their stored contents, are gone, that the files you kept are still there, and that the page count, page content, metadata, comments, links and form fields match the original. If a removed file is shown as an attachment icon on a page, the icon is removed too, so nothing points to a missing file. If anything doesn't match, the result says “Cleaned with limitations” and lists it.

Does this remove comments or metadata?

No. To remove review comments, use Remove Comments From PDF. To remove the author, title and other document properties, use the PDF Metadata Remover.

Signed and archival PDFs

Removing attachments rebuilds the file, which invalidates any existing digital signature, so you're asked to confirm first when a signature structure is detected. Some archival PDF/A files are required to carry certain attachments, such as e-invoices. Removing them may affect conformance, so you're asked to confirm that too. PDFSanitize doesn't validate PDF/A.

Can PDFSanitize extract attachments?

Not in this tool. It's built to clean files, so it only reads each attachment's name, type and size. It never opens, extracts, previews or runs the embedded files themselves. References to files outside the PDF, which contain no embedded content, are listed and left as they are.

Should I run a privacy check afterward?

It's worth it. Run the cleaned copy through the PDF Privacy Checker to see its metadata, comments, annotations, form fields and any remaining attachments in one report. If it also reports JavaScript, Remove JavaScript From PDF can remove it.

FAQ

Remove PDF attachments FAQ

What this tool removes, what it keeps, and how it checks the result.

Does this upload my PDF?

No. Finding, removing and re-checking attachments all happen locally in your browser. The PDF and the files embedded in it are not uploaded to our servers. The page and the code that runs the tool still load over the internet, like any website.

What is an embedded PDF attachment?

It's a complete file stored inside the PDF, such as a spreadsheet, a text file, an image or another PDF. It's listed in the document's attachments, and sometimes shown as a paperclip or pin icon on a page. It's separate from what's printed on the pages.

Does this remove normal images from the PDF?

No. Images that are part of a page, fonts and the page text are not attachments, and they're kept. The tool checks that the page content is unchanged after cleaning.

Can I remove one attachment without removing the others?

Yes. Every embedded file is listed with its name, type, size and where it's referenced, each with its own checkbox. All are selected to start with; untick the ones you want to keep.

Does this remove file-attachment icons?

When you remove a file that's shown as an attachment icon on a page, the icon is removed too, so it doesn't point to a missing file. Icons for files you keep are left in place. References to files outside the PDF, which contain no embedded content, are listed and kept.

Does it change PDF metadata?

No. The document properties, custom properties and XMP metadata are carried over unchanged, and the tool checks that after cleaning. To remove metadata, use the PDF Metadata Remover.

Does it remove comments or forms?

No. Comments, highlights, links, other annotations and form fields, including their values, are kept, and the tool confirms they're unchanged.

Will it invalidate a digital signature?

Yes. Removing attachments rebuilds the PDF, which invalidates any existing digital signature. When the tool detects a signature structure, it asks you to confirm first. It doesn't check whether a signature was valid.

Can I extract the embedded files?

Not with this tool. It's a privacy cleaner: it shows each attachment's name, type and size, but never opens, extracts or runs the files.

Can I verify the cleaned copy?

The tool does it automatically: it re-opens the new copy and checks that the removed files and their stored contents are gone, the files you kept are still there, and pages, page content, metadata, comments, links and form fields are unchanged. If anything doesn't match, it says so. You can also run the copy through the PDF Privacy Checker.