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VellumPDF

Open a PDF

A full viewer, with nothing to install and no file to upload.

Your files never leave your device

Drop your PDF here

or click to browse your files

The document opens in your browser: it is never uploaded, stored, or accessed by a server.

How to open a PDF, step by step

VellumPDF opens the document in your own browser, page by page, without ever sending it to a server. Here is how to use it as a full-featured viewer.

  1. Drop in the PDF you want to read

    Drag the file onto the drop area, or click to browse your files. The first page appears immediately, along with the file size and page count.

  2. Enter the password if one is required

    A protected PDF shows a dedicated field instead of the document. There is no limit on attempts: the file only opens with the exact password, and nothing is sent while you try.

  3. Navigate, zoom, and rotate the view

    The arrows or the page-number field change pages, the + and − buttons adjust the zoom, and “Fit to width” or “Fit page” frame the view. The rotate button only turns the display: the downloaded file keeps its original orientation.

  4. Search for a word in the document

    Type a term into the search field: VellumPDF reports how many matches it found and on how many pages, with buttons to jump between results. Search only works on real text, not on a scan.

  5. Print or download the original document

    Both buttons act on the unchanged original file, unaffected by zoom or display rotation. An “Open another PDF” button resets the tool.

The thumbnails panel does not appear on small screens, and each thumbnail is generated only once the panel opens, page by page — not all at once when the document loads.

Frequently asked questions

How do I open a PDF online without sending it to a server?

VellumPDF displays the document directly in your browser: pages one at a time, navigation thumbnails, zoom, view rotation and full-text search. The file stays on your device, never uploaded or stored.

Can this viewer open a password-protected PDF?

Yes, simply type the password and the document displays normally. The original file can then be printed or downloaded as is, unchanged.

Is this online PDF viewer really free?

Yes, with no size limit, no cap on how many times you open a file, and no account needed. Since display is computed by your own device, there is no server cost to pass on to you.

Does search work on a scanned PDF?

No. Search relies on the text present in the file, not on image recognition. On a scan with no text layer it returns nothing, even if the word is plainly visible. Run the document through text recognition first.

Do zoom and rotation change the file?

No, those are display settings. Downloading and printing use the original file, unchanged. To rotate a document for good, you need the rotation tool.

How many attempts on a password-protected document?

As many as needed: the entry can be repeated without limit, and the document only opens with the exact password. Nothing is sent anywhere during those attempts, since reading happens in your browser.