Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers about what Deste costs, where your documents go, offline use, phone support, limits and the desktop version.
Does it cost anything?
No. It’s free for personal, non-commercial use; there’s no account, sign-up or advertising. For commercial use, contact info@destepdf.com.
Are my documents uploaded to a server?
No. Deste runs inside your browser, with WebAssembly; opening, editing and compressing a document all happen on your processor. Not a single request goes to the internet for your document. Details: Privacy.
Then where are my documents kept?
In the browser’s memory while they’re open. If history is on (7 days by default), they’re also kept on this device, in the storage the browser sets aside for this site, and are deleted automatically when the period ends. See History and resuming work.
Does it work without internet?
The app itself is downloaded from the internet, so you need a connection to open the page (the browser cache makes later visits faster). Once it’s open, working on documents doesn’t use the internet. Opening the page without internet isn’t possible yet.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. It opens in your phone’s browser and is laid out for touch. It’s used with Chrome on Android; on iPhone and iPad (Safari) it hasn’t been tested enough yet.
Can I open Word, Excel or image files?
Images, yes: PNG, JPG, WebP, BMP, GIF and AVIF each become a PDF page. Save Word and Excel files as PDF from their own programs first. (The desktop version will do this directly with “Print → Deste”.)
What about password-protected PDFs?
They can’t be opened for now.
How large can a file be?
250 MB per file, and 400 MB in total for documents open at the same time. The limit is there to stay safely below the browsers’ memory ceiling.
Can I still search the text in a compressed PDF?
If the document has a text layer, yes; it’s kept unless you choose Advanced → Remove text layer. Details: PDF compression.
I closed the tab. Is my work gone?
Not if history is on: when you open the site again, your open documents, their order and your edits are all still there.
When will the desktop version be released?
It’s in development for Windows and Linux; when it’s ready, it will be announced on the Deste page. The desktop version adds itself as a virtual printer and prints to your real printer: Capturing prints.
I want to report a bug or make a suggestion
Write to info@destepdf.com. Include the version line from Settings → About and the name of your browser. Don’t send your document.