Identifiers.
Yes. Free PDF Editor's developer declares identifiers as data used to track you — data that can be combined with other companies' data for targeted ads or ad measurement, or shared with data brokers. On iPhone you can refuse: tap Ask App Not to Track, or switch off tracking requests for every app in Settings.
What “tracking” means on an iPhone
Apple defines tracking as linking data from this app with data from other companies' apps, websites or offline sources for targeted advertising or ad measurement, or sharing it with a data broker. It is narrower than “collecting data”: an app can collect a lot without tracking you, and a small app can track you with a single advertising SDK.
Since iOS 14.5, App Tracking Transparency requires every app to ask before it accesses your device's advertising identifier or otherwise tracks you. The App Store label is where the developer declares which of its data is used that way. Free PDF Editor declares 1 data type, so expect the “Allow Free PDF Editor to track your activity across other companies' apps and websites?” prompt.
The data Free PDF Editor uses to track you
Identifiers
An account ID, screen name, customer number or a device-level ID such as the advertising identifier. Identifiers let a service recognise the same person or phone across sessions. Combined with other data, they are what makes cross-app tracking possible.
How to stop Free PDF Editor from tracking you
- When Free PDF Editor shows the tracking prompt, tap Ask App Not to Track.
- Already said yes? Open Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking and switch off the toggle next to Free PDF Editor.
- To refuse every app in one go, switch off Allow Apps to Request to Track on the same screen. Apps then cannot ask, and are treated as if you declined.
- For Apple's own ads in the App Store, News and Stocks, see Settings › Privacy & Security › Apple Advertising and turn off Personalised Ads.
- Inside Free PDF Editor, look for an analytics or personalised-ads switch in its own settings; it covers data the iOS switch does not.
Free PDF Editor's full privacy label
Do other pdf editors track you?
47% of the 170 pdf editors with a label in our snapshot declare tracking; 28% say they collect nothing at all. Nearby in the list:
| App | Tracks you? | Data types |
|---|---|---|
| PDF Editor | Yes | 5 |
| pdfFiller | Yes | 9 |
| Acrobat Reader | Yes | 9 |
| PDF Gear | No | 1 |
| PDF Expert | No | 4 |
| Google Docs | No | 9 |
| PDF Editor Read | Yes | 4 |
| iLovePDF | No | 4 |
Check your settings
Done. You have applied every control the label points to.
True or false?
- Right.Not quite.
True: it lists identifiers under Data Used to Track You.
- Right.Not quite.
Labels are self-reported by developers. Apple can reject or remove apps that misrepresent practices, but it does not audit each label.
- Right.Not quite.
True: User Content appears on its label, in the Not Linked to You section.
- Right.Not quite.
It is collected and sent; the developer says it is de-identified rather than tied to your account or device.
FAQ
How do I stop Free PDF Editor from tracking me?
Will Free PDF Editor still work if I decline tracking?
What is the difference between tracking and data linked to me?
Does declining tracking stop all data collection?
Can apps track me without asking?
Is Free PDF Editor safe? Full privacy report →Who tracks you? A–Z →All productivity apps →