A private PDF reader that doesn't upload your files
ReadHere is a free PDF reader that keeps your files on your device. You can read, highlight and take notes in your browser, and nothing gets uploaded to our servers.
Lots of "free online PDF" tools start with an upload button. Your file goes to their server, they process it, and you hope they delete it afterwards. For a recipe, who cares. For a bank statement, a medical letter or a draft you haven't shared with anyone, it's a real question.
ReadHere skips the upload. The PDF opens right in your browser and stays on your device. Your highlights and notes stay there too.
Read and highlight a PDF privately in three steps
- Open the ReadHere reader. There's no account and no upload screen.
- Drag your PDF onto the page. It's saved in your browser, on your device.
- Select text to highlight it, then add a note if you want.
Where your files actually go
Here's the plain version, with nothing left out:
- Your PDF is stored in your browser's own storage on your device. It isn't sent to us.
- Your highlights, notes and reading position are saved in the same place.
- If you choose Pro ($10/yr), your library backs up to your own Google Drive. ReadHere can only see the one folder it creates there, not the rest of your Drive.
- Analytics: we use Google Analytics to count visits and see which features get used. It never receives your book contents, file names, titles, highlights or notes.
All of this is also in our privacy policy, in the same plain words.
Highlights that stay on your device
Many PDF apps sync your highlights to their own cloud by default. ReadHere doesn't. On the free plan, your highlights never leave the device you made them on. You get four colors, notes on any highlight, a sidebar that lists them all, and a journal for each document.
The tradeoff is simple: if you clear your browser's site data, the free library goes with it. If that worries you, Pro keeps a copy in your Google Drive, which you control.
It works offline too
Once you've opened a PDF, you can keep reading with no internet at all. That's a nice side effect of keeping everything on your device. See how to read ebooks offline.
EPUB books work the same way
The same private setup works for EPUB ebooks, with the same highlight and note tools. Your PDFs and your books sit in one library.
Related: annotate PDFs online for free and a free Adobe Acrobat alternative.
Common questions
Is there a PDF reader that doesn’t upload my files to a server?
Yes. ReadHere opens your PDF in your browser and saves it on your device. The file is not sent to our servers.
Where are my highlights stored?
In your browser, on the device you are using. With Pro, they also back up to your own Google Drive. They are never stored on a ReadHere server.
Do you track what I read?
We use Google Analytics to count visits and general usage. It never receives your book contents, file names, titles, highlights or notes.
What happens if I clear my browser data?
On the free plan, your books and highlights are deleted with it, because they only live in that browser. Pro keeps a backup in your own Google Drive.
Read your PDF privately
Drag it in and start reading. It stays on your device. Free, no account.