Is online OCR safe for confidential documents?
Is online OCR safe? What happens to files you upload to FastOCR: encryption, the 30-day deletion rule, who can see results, and offline options.
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- Direct Answer
- It depends on how the site handles files, and you can check that. FastOCR encrypts files in transit and at rest, keeps results visible only to you unless you share them, and deletes uploaded files and results automatically 30 days after upload. For documents that must never leave your computer, use an offline app.
What to check before you upload
Four things decide whether an online OCR or PDF converter is safe for a document: - Retention: how long the site keeps your file and the extracted text, and whether it deletes them automatically. - Use: what the site uses uploads for, and whether its policy allows anything beyond processing your file. - Access: who can open your results, and whether a shared link exposes them. - Deletion: whether you can delete your account and its data.
What FastOCR does with an upload
- Encryption: files travel over TLS and are stored encrypted with AES-256.
- Retention: uploaded files are deleted automatically 30 days after upload. Extracted text and job history are kept for 30 days so you can come back to them, then deleted. A result made without signing in can be opened from its link for 7 days.
- Use: the privacy policy lists what uploads are used for: processing your files, keeping your job history, tracking usage limits and service emails.
- Access: results are visible only to you unless you share them.
When not to upload at all
For identity documents, medical records or anything your employer forbids uploading, use an on-device tool. FastOCR's free Mac and Windows apps read text on your computer, so the file is never sent to us. Read more in Is it safe to upload documents to an online OCR site?.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does FastOCR store my uploaded PDF files?
Yes, for a limited time. Uploaded files are deleted automatically 30 days after upload, and the extracted text and job history are deleted after 30 days too.
Can anyone else see my OCR results?
No. Results are visible only to you unless you share them with a link.
Can I use OCR without uploading my document?
Yes. The free FastOCR apps for Mac and Windows read text on your own computer, so the document is never sent to FastOCR.
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