Clean up PDF
Remove clipping masks with no effect and empty groups from your PDF. Same look, cleaner file for Illustrator and the print shop. Free and online.
Open a PDF in Illustrator and see clipping masks nobody drew? InDesign exports and files that have passed through several applications collect masks and groups with no function. Upload the file and we remove the ones that provably crop nothing – the rest stay, and the page draws exactly as before.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does the tool remove?
- Clipping masks that crop nothing, hidden copies outside the page, invisible objects, objects completely hidden under others, empty groups, unused fonts, images and layers – and Illustrator/InDesign application data. If it can be seen on the page, it stays.
- Does it change the look?
- No. A mask is only removed when it provably has no effect. Text, gradients and anything else that cannot be bounded precisely always keeps its mask.
- Why do I see masks in Illustrator that were not in the InDesign file?
- Illustrator draws clipping masks as paths in Outline view, including the ones InDesign exported as invisible crops. Masks that really crop a graphic are part of the design and are kept.
- Are layers, cut lines and spot colours kept?
- Yes. Layers, CutContour and other spot colours, trim and bleed boxes are untouched. Only the page's drawing instructions are edited.
- When is it useful?
- Before a file goes to a print shop or into Illustrator. Less noise, faster RIP, fewer questions from the printer.
- Is my file stored?
- No. The file is processed on servers in the Nordics and deleted automatically within 24 hours. You get a certificate of deletion.
How to
- Choose your PDF
- Click Clean up – every mask is checked on its own
- Download the cleaned PDF, same look, cleaner file