PDF export privacy question, can stuff under blur layer be recovered?

[frank26080115]

I'm using Affinity Photo 1.10.5.1342

I recently used it to blur out (used a gaussian blur layer with rectangular masks) some information on a scanned document and then used the File->Export menu item to export it as a PDF again.

Is the PDF generated completely as a single flat raster? Or are the layers preserved? (meaning that there's a way to extract the un-blurred information)

Thanks

(I know I can probably just merge my layers as a work around)

[tudor]

Open the PDF in Photo and look in the Layers palette.

[frank26080115]

8 minutes ago, tudor said:

Open the PDF in Photo and look in the Layers palette.

I don't know if that's a valid test, if it's flat, it doesn't mean other software can't extract the background layer.

I am more interested in hearing from the software developer themselves how the PDF generation works.

Otherwise, a valid test might be disecting the PDF with something like IronPDF, in which I can explorer individual objects within the PDF.

[Dan C]

Hi @frank26080115,

4 hours ago, frank26080115 said:

Is the PDF generated completely as a single flat raster? Or are the layers preserved?

This depends on a few things, firstly are you using an Adjustment layer to apply the blur or is this added through the FX panel?

Secondly, what PDF export settings are you using in Affinity?

It's certainly possible to export a PDF with layers in tact that can be read by other applications from Affinity - but this can be file and export option depending.

2 hours ago, frank26080115 said:

Otherwise, a valid test might be disecting the PDF with something like IronPDF, in which I can explorer individual objects within the PDF.

Absolutely, most PDF applications will have a way to inspect the files layers and this can be a very valid option in terms of checking the file you've exported. Are you able to see layers in the PDFs you've created from Affinity when opened in a PDF reader/editing app?