Redact a PDF
Black out parts of a document so the text underneath is genuinely removed, not merely hidden behind a rectangle.
What it does
Redact a PDF deals with the part of a file you cannot see. Photos and documents carry embedded data — where a picture was taken, on what device, by whom, when, and with which software — and it travels with the file every time it is sent on.
When you need it
Before anything goes to someone you do not know: a listing photo, a CV, a picture posted publicly. A photo taken at home carries your address to within a few metres, and the visible content gives no hint that it is there.
Limits and caveats
Stripping metadata does not change what is visible in the image — anything legible in the picture itself stays legible. Some platforms strip metadata on upload and some do not, which is exactly why it is worth doing before you send rather than hoping. Everything happens in your browser, so the file never leaves your device.
How to redact a pdf
- Drop the document — every page is rendered.
- Drag a box over anything that must not be readable.
- Download. The file is rebuilt from pixels, so the words are gone.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is the result not selectable text any more?
- Because that is what redaction costs. Drawing a black rectangle over a PDF leaves the words underneath, one copy-paste away — which is exactly how redacted court filings keep leaking. The only reliable fix is to rebuild the page from pixels, and pixels are not text.
- Can I keep the text searchable?
- Not honestly. If the text layer survives, so do the words you covered. Use Extract text from PDF first if you need a searchable copy of the parts you are keeping.
- Do my files get uploaded?
- No. This tool runs entirely in your browser, so the file never leaves your device.