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How-to · 2 min read

How to summarize a PDF with AI without uploading it

Summarize contracts, reports and Word documents with AI that runs on your own computer, so confidential files never get uploaded to a chatbot.

Most "chat with your PDF" tools work by uploading the file to someone's server. That's a problem for a contract, a medical letter, a client report or anything under an NDA. You can get the same summary from an AI that runs on your own computer, where the file never leaves your disk.

The quick way

  1. In File Explorer (or Finder), select the PDF or Word document.
  2. Press layman's shortcut. The file appears as a chip under the input.
  3. Type "summarize this" and press Enter.

The summary comes from a model running on your PC. You can keep going in the same chat: "what are the deadlines?", "list every amount over $1,000", "explain clause 7 in plain words". Every question uses the same document.

What gets read

  • PDFs: the text layer, with page markers so answers can point to a page.
  • Word (.docx), text and code files: read in full.
  • Several files at once: select up to 10 and ask "compare these" or "summarize them".
  • A folder: attached as a list of what's inside.

Click the chip to see exactly what the AI will read before you ask anything.

Long documents

Local models have a limited memory for each conversation. layman reads up to about 20,000 characters per chat, roughly a few thousand words. For a long report, that covers the opening sections. Two ways to work with longer files:

  • Ask about a specific part: open the PDF, select the pages you care about, and ask about the selection.
  • Split the work: summarize chapter by chapter in separate chats.

Scanned PDFs

A scanned PDF is a picture of text, with no text layer to read. Open it on screen and use layman's screen snip to drag a box over the page; a model that can see images reads it. On Windows you can also type ocr to copy the text from part of the screen.

Is it really private?

With a local model, yes: the file is read on your computer and the model that answers runs on your computer. You can check this yourself with Windows Resource Monitor (Network tab): during the summary, the only connection is to 127.0.0.1, your own machine. See what "private" and "offline" actually mean for the details.

If you switch to a cloud model, layman labels it in the model menu, and the file's text then goes to that provider. For confidential documents, stay on a local model.

Prompts that work well

  • "Summarize this in five bullet points for someone who hasn't read it."
  • "What do I have to do, by when?"
  • "Extract every name, date and amount as a table."
  • "What's unusual or risky in this contract?"
  • "Explain this like I'm new to the topic."

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