Before sending a PDF, Vellum draws up a full report without changing anything: document metadata (author, originating application, dates), the presence of JavaScript or automatic actions on opening, external links, embedded attachments, annotations and comments (with their authors), form fields, text drawn in an invisible render mode or positioned off the page — a classic sign of an OCR layer or a botched attempt at concealment — optional content layers, fonts in use, and encryption status. Each finding links to the Vellum tool that fixes it. The analysis runs entirely in your browser.
No, never. It’s a read-only report: nothing is re-saved, no download button appears. To fix a finding, the tool links to the appropriate Vellum tool (metadata, sanitize, flatten, redact, or protect).
Two distinct signals, both hard to spot with the naked eye: text drawn in an invisible render mode (common on the OCR layer of a scan), and text positioned outside the page’s visible area — a classic sign of a botched redaction that moved text instead of destroying it.
It’s not an error in the file: it’s a reminder that anyone can open a PDF with no password. The report notes it for information, with a direct link to the protection tool if you want to fix that.
Only up to a point: encryption technically prevents reading metadata, text and scripts. The report then flags that the document is encrypted and suggests unlocking it first.
A PDF can contain several content layers that can be shown or hidden independently (OCGs) — common in architecture or cartography, but also a way to conceal content that’s still technically present in the file even when it isn’t displayed.
Vellum — free PDF tools whose processing stays on your device.