PDF Editor Files never leave your device

How to redact a PDF permanently

Black out personal data, account numbers or confidential passages before you share a document. Redacted content is removed from the file, not just hidden behind a box — so it cannot be copied, searched or recovered.

Do it now in the free PDF editorOpens in your browser. No sign-up, no watermark — your PDF is never uploaded.
Open the PDF editor

Redact a PDF in four steps

  1. Open the PDF editor and choose your PDF.
  2. Pick Redact and drag a box over everything that must go: text, images, signatures or stamps.
  3. To redact a word everywhere, press Ctrl+F, search for it and click Redact all. Check the pages and adjust or delete any box you do not want.
  4. Click Download. Pages with redactions are saved with the boxes burned in and the hidden content removed.

Why a black box is not enough

A common mistake is to draw a black rectangle over text in a PDF and send it. The rectangle is only another layer on top: anyone can select the text underneath, copy it, or remove the box in a PDF editor. Real redaction has to delete the content itself. That is what the Redact tool does when you download.

What happens when you download

  1. Every page that contains at least one redaction box is rendered as an image at print quality (200 DPI).
  2. The redaction boxes are burned into that image, so the covered pixels are replaced by solid color.
  3. The original page — its text, fonts, vector graphics, links and form fields — is replaced by the image.
  4. Pages without redactions are kept exactly as they were.

Because redacted pages become images, the file can get bigger and those pages lose selectable text. Keep an unredacted copy for yourself if you need it.

Redacting every occurrence of a word

Names, e-mail addresses and ID numbers usually appear more than once. Instead of hunting for them page by page, open Find with Ctrl+F and type the word. The search ignores upper and lower case and accents, so “Jonas” also finds “JONAS”. Click Redact all and a redaction box is placed over every match in the whole document. Then go through the pages: boxes can be moved, resized or deleted like any other item.

Checklist before you share a redacted PDF

  • Search for each sensitive term once more after redacting — the matches should be gone in the downloaded file.
  • Look for the same data in headers, footers, signatures and images, not just in the body text.
  • Remember that information can also hide in the file name. Rename the file before sending it.
  • Open the downloaded PDF and try to select the redacted area: there should be no text there.

Frequently asked questions

Is the redacted text really gone?

Yes. When you download, each page with a redaction is rendered as an image with the black boxes burned in, and the original page content — text, fonts, images and links — is dropped. There is nothing left underneath to copy or extract.

What is the difference between Redact and Whiteout?

Whiteout only paints a white box over the content; the text is still in the file and can be copied out or found by search. Redact removes it. Always use Redact for confidential information.

Will the rest of my PDF stay searchable?

Pages without redactions are saved unchanged, with selectable text. Only pages that contain a redaction become images, so their remaining text is no longer selectable.

Can I redact in a color other than black?

Yes. Select a redaction box and choose black or white in the bar above the page.

Is my document uploaded for redaction?

No. Redaction happens entirely in your browser. That matters most for exactly the kind of documents people redact: contracts, medical records, court papers and HR files.

Ready to try it?Drop your PDF into the editor and download the result in seconds.
Open the PDF editor

More guides

Edit existing PDF textClick a line that is already in the PDF and retype it in a matching font.Add text to PDFType anywhere on a page in 26 fonts, any size and color.Sign a PDFDraw, type or upload your signature and place it on the page.Fill out a PDF formFill fields, tick checkboxes and choose options — even on non-fillable forms.Highlight text in a PDFHighlights that snap to the words and lines under them.Draw and add shapes to a PDFFreehand drawing, rectangles, ellipses, lines and arrows.Add an image to a PDFInsert a JPG, PNG, HEIC or WebP image, logo or stamp.Search for text in a PDFCtrl+F across the whole document, then highlight or redact every match.White out a PDFCover content with a white box and type over it.Reorder, rotate and delete PDF pagesDrag thumbnails, rotate, delete and insert blank pages.Keyboard shortcuts and tipsUndo, copy and paste, select all, snap guides, layers and zoom.