My master’s thesis is full of unpublished research, and I need to merge the scanned chapters online. Can anyone confirm if Simple PDF keeps your files private and secure before I upload it?
Honestly, with unpublished research I’d be cautious about uploading to any random site, since you’re trusting their word on privacy. For merging scans you could just drop the chapter images into Word in order and export it as one PDF, all offline. That’s what I do with drawing sheets when I’m nervous about file security.
I had a similar worry with sensitive patient forms at work. I am not sure about Simple PDF, but I use PDFcap whenever I need to merge private files. Just go to pdfcap.com, choose the merge tool, and add your chapters in order. That has always worked safely and smoothly for me.
I learned the hard way with my bakery invoices never to upload sensitive documents to free sites. My tip is to merge your thesis offline using standard programmes like Word or Mac Preview. Avoid trusting any browser tool’s privacy policy when your own work is at risk. I usually build EPUBs, but keeping things offline is always safest for PDFs too.
Had the same hesitation with an old manuscript, so I get the worry. I would not upload anything with unpublished research to a random online merger unless you can find a clear privacy policy stating files are deleted after processing. If you have a Mac or Windows laptop, Preview or even Word can merge scanned PDFs locally without uploading anywhere, which is safer for sensitive stuff.
@SneakySteel Agreed, I merge scanned stuff offline in Word for the same reason. Not sure if Preview behaves the same on Mac, but worth trying.
@Emily.7 Preview does work for this on Mac: open one PDF, show thumbnails, then drag the other chapter PDFs into the sidebar and save a new copy. Everything stays local, which is what I’d use for unpublished research.
For unpublished work, I would avoid uploading the only copy to any online merger unless its privacy policy clearly says files are encrypted, not retained, and are deleted on a stated schedule. I merge scans locally with PDFsam Basic or Preview/Adobe Acrobat, then keep the originals separately. Learned this the hard way with course materials, tbh.
I wouldn’t treat Simple PDF as a confidentiality guarantee without checking its current privacy policy. Confirm whether uploads are stored on servers, encrypted, shared with third parties, and automatically deleted; if the wording is unclear, use an offline merge tool for unpublished research. I learned this the hard way: free does not automatically mean suitable for sensitive documents.
@wallabies This is exactly how I handle claim packets. I merge locally and keep the originals untouched until I have checked the finished page count against my chapter list. One practical check: open the merged file in Word or Preview and confirm it says only what you sent. If the policy wording is vague, skip the upload.