Local PDFs. Optional iCloud sync.

Local is the default

JustPDF’s iCloud library sync is off by default. You can import and read local PDFs without enabling it or creating a developer account. Your source file may still come from a cloud provider in Apple Files.

Choose what to synchronize

With Pro, enable iCloud Library Sync in settings. Choose all documents, pinned documents or custom folders. Selected PDFs and associated library metadata, such as names, tags and reading positions, are written to the app’s iCloud container using your Apple Account. Availability depends on your iCloud account, storage and connectivity.

This also includes selected Markdown files and readable linked source files. Sync can create another copy even when you originally chose to link rather than import. The local full-text search database and editable text-source files are not part of the app’s explicit library-sync payload.

Understand the protection

The app uses AES-GCM to encode iCloud payloads, but its current key is derived from a fixed application identifier, not a secret chosen by you. This is not a basis for claiming user-specific end-to-end encryption. Apple’s iCloud account protections also apply. A Face ID library lock controls access inside the app; it does not change the iCloud key.

Turning sync off is not deleting cloud copies

Switching back to local use stops the app’s synchronization. It does not guarantee erasure of copies already stored in iCloud. Check your iCloud storage separately to remove cloud data. Keep an exported copy of important PDFs: synchronization can propagate changes and is not an independent backup.

Read the app and website privacy policy or follow the offline reading checklist.