Auto-deletion policy

PDFStore automatically deletes files once their transfer expires. This is a fundamental part of the service's design and is intended to protect your privacy.

How auto-deletion works

1. When you create a transfer, an expiry date is set based on your plan (7 days for Free, 30 days for Pro).
2. The expiry countdown starts from the moment the transfer is created.
3. Once the expiry date passes, a scheduled process permanently deletes all files associated with the transfer from Cloudflare R2 storage.
4. The transfer's share link is deactivated. Visitors will see a message indicating the transfer has expired.

What "permanently deleted" means

When we say files are permanently deleted, we mean they are removed from our storage infrastructure with no option for recovery. PDFStore does not keep backups of expired files. Once deleted, the files are gone.

Why auto-deletion matters

• Privacy — your files do not linger on our servers indefinitely. The shorter the time files exist, the smaller the window for potential unauthorised access.
• Storage management — automatic cleanup ensures the service remains fast and efficient for all users.
• Compliance — auto-deletion supports data minimisation principles in line with UK data protection regulations.

Manual deletion

You do not have to wait for auto-deletion. You can delete any of your active transfers at any time from your dashboard. This immediately and permanently removes the files from our servers.

Downloading before expiry

Make sure recipients download the files they need before the transfer expires. Once the files are deleted, they cannot be recovered. If you need to send the files again, you will need to create a new transfer.