Strip Embedded Files - Free Online Browser Tool

Pull every embedded file, file-attachment stamp and JavaScript payload out of a PDF, leaving only the pages.

A PDF can carry embedded files, attachment stamps and JavaScript inside it, none of which are visible when you open the document. This tool rebuilds the file from its pages alone, so those payloads are genuinely gone rather than merely hidden from a viewer.

This strip embedded files utility runs completely inside your web browser. Your document is opened locally and processed on your own device using JavaScript and WebAssembly, so your file is never uploaded to any server. There is no signup, no watermark and no limit on how many documents you can handle.

  • 100% client-side - files never leave your device
  • Instant processing, no upload wait
  • Works on desktop, tablet and mobile
  • Free forever, no account required

Common next steps: Inspect Security & Permissions, Sanitise PDF for Sharing, Sanitize Tracking IDs.

How to Use the Strip Embedded Files Tool

Four steps, and the whole thing runs locally on your own device.

  1. Load the PDF

    Drop in the document you received, particularly one from an unfamiliar sender.

  2. Read the report

    Embedded files, attachment stamps, script actions and remote-file actions are listed with their names and sizes.

  3. Strip them

    The output is rebuilt from the pages alone, so the payload bytes leave the file rather than sitting unreferenced inside it.

  4. Download and check

    The cleaned PDF and a written report come back in one ZIP. Confirm the page count matches what you expected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do PDFs carry attachments?

Legitimate reasons exist — bundling related files, or shipping data alongside a document. The same capability is what makes malicious attachment abuse possible.

Is a PDF with a macro dangerous?

It can be. JavaScript and action scripts in a PDF have been used to trigger actions on opening. Stripping them removes that risk entirely.

Will stripping remove anything I need?

Possibly — if the document was deliberately sent with an attachment you were meant to have. The report lists what was found, so check it before you rely on the output, and confirm the page count afterwards.

Does this replace antivirus software?

No. This removes known PDF payload types; it is not a general malware scanner. For an unexpected attachment from an unknown sender, treat caution as the primary defence.

Does it change the page content?

No. Pages, text and images are copied across untouched. Only embedded attachments and scripts are removed.