PDF / Redact
Redact PDF: Black Out Text So It Is Really Gone
Redact a PDF in your browser: find every match of a name or number and black it out, or draw boxes over any part of a page, then save a copy in which the hidden text and images are permanently removed, not just covered, with nothing uploaded.
Redact PDF: Black Out Text So It Is Really Gone: A black box drawn on top of a PDF hides text only on screen: the words are still in the file and can be copied out. Here, every page with a box is redrawn as an image with the boxes burned in, so the text, pictures, and hidden layers underneath no longer exist in the saved copy. Pages without boxes are copied unchanged, unless you choose to flatten every page, and the document's title, author, and outline are dropped. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
- Category
- PDF tools
- Runs
- In your browser
- Cost
- Free · no sign-up
- Availability
- Ready to use
Runs entirely in your browser
Up to 100 MB · nothing is uploaded
What else can leak
Redaction covers what is on the page. Before sharing, also check the file name, any comments or attachments, and the document properties; the metadata remover clears the properties.
Image quality
150 dpi keeps redacted pages readable on screen at a modest size; choose 300 dpi if the document will be printed.
How to use it
- Choose a PDF.
- Search for words to black out, or drag boxes over the pages.
- Save the redacted PDF and check it before sharing.
Privacy & limitations
Your PDF is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
Related tools
Frequently asked questions
Why can I no longer select text on redacted pages?
Because those pages are now images; that is what makes the redaction permanent. Pages you did not mark keep their text.
Does text search find everything?
It finds words within a single run of text on pages that have real text. It cannot find words in scanned pages, or split across two runs, so look through the pages and draw any boxes it missed.
Is the redaction really permanent?
On the pages you mark, yes: the saved copy contains only the picture of the page with black boxes. Check the result by searching it for the words you removed.
Free tool · runs in your browser · no account required