Redact a PDF
Permanently black out names, numbers and other sensitive details in a PDF. Search for words or drag over areas; what is under the boxes is removed from the file, not just covered. Runs in your browser, so the document is never uploaded.
Runs in your browser — this file is never uploaded
How to redact a PDF
- 1
Open the document
Drop in the PDF with details you need to hide. It stays on your device the whole time.
- 2
Mark what to remove
Search for a name or number to mark every place it appears, use a ready-made search for emails, phone numbers and the like, or drag over any area by hand.
- 3
Redact and download
Every marked page is redrawn with solid black boxes, so the hidden words are gone from the file — nobody can copy or uncover them.
Guides
Frequently asked
Is the redacted text really gone?+
Yes. Many tools only draw a black box on top, leaving the words in the file for anyone to copy out. Here each page with a redaction is redrawn as an image with the boxes burned in, so nothing under a box is left in any form. The document's title, author, bookmarks and attachments are removed too, since they can repeat what you hid.
Why can't I select text on the redacted pages any more?+
Those pages are now images — that is what makes the redaction permanent. Pages you did not redact keep their text. To make the redacted pages searchable again, run the result through OCR PDF; the blacked-out parts stay unreadable.
Does search find everything?+
It finds the words in the PDF's text, including across line breaks. It cannot see text inside pictures or scans, and it may miss unusual layouts, so look over every page before redacting, and drag boxes over anything it missed.
Is Redact PDF free to use?+
Yes. Redact PDF is free and unlimited, with no account and no watermark added to your document.
Are my files uploaded to a server?+
No. Redact PDF runs entirely inside your browser, so the document never leaves your device.
Which browsers does it work in?+
Any current version of Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari, on desktop, tablet and phone.