Redact a PDF
Drag over anything private, or search for a name or number to black out every match. The text underneath is removed, not just covered.
How it works
- Choose the PDF you want to share safely.
- Drag a box over each private detail, or type a word and press Redact all. Tap a box to move, resize or remove it.
- Press Download. Pages with redactions are rebuilt so the hidden text is gone.
Private by design
A black rectangle drawn in most PDF editors only hides text. Anyone can still copy it from underneath. Here every page you redact is rebuilt as an image with the black boxes burned in, so the original text is no longer in the file.
Because this all happens in your browser, the sensitive document you are cleaning up never leaves your computer.
How to redact a PDF safely
Before you share a bank statement, payslip, medical letter or court document, you may need to hide names, addresses, account numbers or a citizen service number. Drawing a black box in a normal editor is not enough, because the text is still there underneath and can be copied out. This tool removes it.
Use search for things that repeat, such as a name or an account number, and press Redact all to box every match. Then scroll through each page and drag boxes over anything search missed, such as signatures, photos, handwritten notes and scanned pages. After downloading, open the file and try to select the hidden text to check.
Redacted pages become images, so their file size grows a little and their text can no longer be selected. Only redact what you must. Remember that details can also hide in a file name, so rename the PDF before you send it if needed.
Questions
Is the redacted text really gone?
Yes. Each page with a redaction is saved as a picture of the page with the boxes burned in. The text layer of that page is not copied into the new file.
Can I still select text on redacted pages?
No, those pages become images. Pages without redactions stay exactly as they were, with selectable text.
Does search find everything?
It finds text in the PDF's text layer. Scanned pages have no text layer, so drag boxes over those by hand.
Are links and comments kept?
When you redact, links and comments are left out of the new file so they cannot point back to hidden content.
What is the difference between redacting and covering text?
Covering puts a shape on top while the text stays in the file. Redacting here rebuilds the page as an image, so the hidden text is no longer in the file at all.
Can I redact a scanned document?
Yes. Drag boxes over the private parts by hand. Search does not work on scans, because they have no text layer.
Can I undo a redaction after downloading?
No, and that is the point. Keep your original file somewhere safe in case you need it again.
Something not working, or a tool you miss?