What removal changes
Document attachments are removed from the EmbeddedFiles name tree.
Selected FileAttachment annotations and their embedded file data are removed from their pages.
Ordinary hyperlinks, page text, images and fonts are not treated as attachments.
Deleting an attachment does not remove page text or links that mention its filename.
The attachment-byte estimate is not a promise of the final PDF size reduction.
Rewriting a signed PDF normally invalidates digital signature verification.
Selective or complete removal
Choose one attachment, multiple files, or every attachment found. Setpdf distinguishes document-level embedded files from page attachment annotations and reports the source before deletion.
Security cleanup
Attachments can carry arbitrary file types and deserve review before a PDF is distributed. Removing unexpected files reduces that exposure, but it does not prove the remaining PDF is safe. Use the PDF Security Scanner to inspect other features such as scripts, forms and encryption.
Estimated size reduction
The interface totals the actual stored bytes of selected attachments. The rewritten PDF may shrink by a different amount because stream compression, object cleanup and PDF structural overhead also affect the output size.
What remains unchanged
Page appearance, order, dimensions, bookmarks and ordinary document metadata are preserved. Text or links that refer to an attachment name remain page content and are not automatically removed. Existing digital signatures normally stop validating after the rewrite.
Temporary, limited processing
The uploaded PDF is handled under a random temporary filename. Setpdf does not log document content, original filename, attachment bytes, descriptions or passwords. Input and rewritten files are deleted on success, failure or timeout. File size, attachment count, page count, processing time and memory are limited.
Removing attachment questions
Can I remove only one PDF attachment?
Yes. Select one or several items, or use the separate remove-all action.
Are page attachment annotations removed too?
Yes. Selected FileAttachment annotations and their referenced embedded data are removed from the page annotation array.
Will removing attachments delete visible page text?
No. Page text and hyperlinks that mention an attachment remain; only the selected embedded file structures are removed.
Will the PDF shrink by exactly the attachment size?
Not necessarily. The displayed estimate totals stored attachment bytes, while PDF rewriting and compression affect the final file size.
Does removal make the PDF safe?
It removes the selected files but cannot certify the whole PDF as safe. Scan for scripts, forms, links and other risks separately.
What happens to a digital signature?
Removing attachments changes signed bytes and normally invalidates existing digital signature verification.