What is the basic workflow?
- Start PDF Archiver
- Set your storage location in Settings (iCloud Drive, Local, or Custom Folder)
- Navigate to the Inbox tab to see untagged documents
- Import documents via camera scan or file import
- Tap/select a document to tag it
- Fill in the document attributes (use ↹ on macOS to switch fields):
- Date - Select the document date (or use “Today” button)
- Specification - Write a meaningful description (automatically converted to lowercase with dashes)
- Tags - Select from suggestions or create new tags (automatically converted to lowercase)
- Save the document by pressing the Save button or ⌘ s (macOS)
- Tagged documents will be moved to the Archive folder and organized by year
For more details, see the blog post about PDF Archiver.
How (long) do I get a free trial?
PDF Archiver offers two purchase options:
-
Auto-renewing Subscription - Starts with a free trial period. During the trial you can test the app or cancel the subscription at any time without payment. The subscription extends automatically if you don’t cancel at least 24 hours prior to expiration of the trial period.
-
Lifetime Purchase - One-time payment for permanent access to all features, no subscription needed.
Both options give you full access to all PDF Archiver features.
How do I cancel my subscription?
You can cancel your subscription at any time in your iTunes Account, which can be found here.
What happens to my documents after my subscription is cancelled?
All your PDFs are stored in your selected folder (iCloud Drive, local, or custom folder) and remain accessible even if your subscription ends.
Important: While you can always access your documents through the Files app or Finder, you’ll need an active subscription or lifetime purchase to continue using the PDF Archiver app features.
What shortcuts are available?
| Keys | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| ↹ | switch to next field |
| ⌘ s | save the current document in your archive (macOS only) |
Note: These shortcuts are available on macOS. On iOS, use touch gestures and on-screen buttons.
How can I share my archive folder?
You can share your archive folder with your friends and family by sharing it via iCloud Drive:
- Create new folder in iCloud Drive
- for example, in the iOS app of PDF Archiver, go to Settings > Storage > Select Folder.
- select the shared folder in the dialog
Then the contents of the archive will be moved to the new folder. Attention: Before you make such changes to your archive, you should create a backup first. Ideally, these should also be created regularly.
More information:
How do I backup my documents?
Important: PDF Archiver is NOT a backup solution. It is a document organization tool that helps you tag and archive your PDFs, but it does not provide backup functionality.
Why You Need Backups
Your archived documents are valuable and irreplaceable. Hardware failures, accidental deletions, ransomware, or natural disasters can result in permanent data loss. That’s why you should always maintain proper backups of your archive folder.
Recommended: 3-2-1 Backup Strategy
We recommend following the 3-2-1 backup strategy:
- 3 copies of your data
- 2 different storage media types
- 1 copy stored off-site (remote location)
Example Implementation
- Original data - Your PDF archive in iCloud Drive or local storage
- Local backup - Time Machine backup on an external hard drive
- Off-site backup - Cloud backup service or external drive stored at a different location
More Information
Remember: Create backups regularly and test your restore process to ensure your backups are working correctly!
How can I update the untagged Documents?
PDF Archiver automatically monitors your archive and inbox folders for changes and updates the view in real-time. Manual refresh is typically not necessary.
If you notice that your documents aren’t updating properly, try:
- Switching between tabs (Inbox, Search, Statistics, Settings)
- Restarting the app
If you consistently need to manually refresh, please open an issue to report the problem.
How do I reset all settings?
- Open the App
- Go to the Settings tab
- Navigate to Expert Settings (or Advanced Settings)
- Tap Reset App Preferences
- Restart the app to complete the reset
How do I zoom the preview?
- Use the pinch-to-zoom gesture on your trackpad: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204895
- Use the keyboard shortcuts ⌘ + and ⌘ -
How to delete tags from a document?
- Select a document in PDF Archiver.
- Click on the tag in the document attributes area, which should be removed.
It is not possible to save a document, what can I do?
- Reset the settings:
Help > Reset Settings - Set the archive path again via the preferences: ⌘ ,
What will the archive structure look like?
.
└── Archive
├── 2017
│ ├── 2017-05-12--apple-macbook__apple_bill.pdf
│ └── 2017-01-02--this-is-a-document__bill_vacation.pdf
└── 2018
├── 2018-04-30--this-might-be-important__work_travel.pdf
├── 2018-05-26--parov-stelar__concert_ticket.pdf
└── 2018-12-01--master-thesis__finally_longterm_university.pdf
Where can I find my documents after the renaming?
All the renamed documents can be found at the path you have specified in the preferences: ⌘ ,.
Where can I find the imprint and privacy policy?
- English: Imprint & Privacy Policy
- German: Impressum & Datenschutzerklärung