Where your tools run
Whether your file leaves your computer depends on your connection mode.
If your administrator enables local document processing, documents stay on the device in every mode. Once the app has checked which tools can run on your computer, unsupported tools and conversion formats are hidden. Server storage and shared signing are unavailable, and operations that cannot run locally are blocked. You can still sign in and manage your account and billing. The defaults below apply when this policy is not enabled.
Local Only#
- Every tool runs on your computer. Nothing is uploaded.
- Tools the built-in engine can't run show a cloud badge. Running one asks you to sign in to Stirling Cloud or connect to a server.
Stirling Cloud#
- Tools run on your computer whenever the built-in engine can run them. The rest show a cloud badge and are sent to Stirling Cloud (Files and privacy).
- Running tools by hand doesn't use credits. AI, processing folders and pipelines always use Stirling Cloud and use credits (Plans, credits and billing).
Self-Hosted#
- Every tool runs on your server, even ones your computer could run.
- If the server can't be reached, a Your Stirling-PDF server is unreachable banner appears and tools the built-in engine supports run on your computer until it's back.
- Tools your server has turned off appear dimmed.
Tools that usually need Cloud or a server#
- OCR
- Converting Office documents, eBooks, HTML, web pages or email to PDF
- Converting PDF to Word, PowerPoint, RTF, HTML, Markdown, XML, PDF/A, EPUB or CBR
- Repair, Detect & Split Scanned Photos and Replace & Invert Color
- The Convert images to line art option in Compress
Features that need Cloud or a server#
- AI assistant - Stirling Cloud, or your server if its admin has set up AI (AI assistant).
- Classify - Stirling Cloud only.
- Processing folders and pipelines - see Processing folders.
- Processor - not in the desktop app. Use it in a web browser (Processor).
