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Redact a PDF

Black out text and images for real: covered pages are rebuilt as images so nothing remains underneath.

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How this redaction works

Black boxes drawn in most PDF editors only cover the text: it can still be selected, copied or found by search underneath. Here, every page with a box is re-rendered as an image with the boxes burned in, so the covered text, images and hidden layers on that page no longer exist in the file. Pages without boxes are copied unchanged. The new file also drops the document outline, metadata, attachments and form data.

Drop a PDF here or click to choose onePDF files up to 100.0 MB each.

Processed on this device with your browser. Nothing is uploaded.

How it works

Many "redacted" PDFs leak: a black rectangle is drawn over a name, but the name is still in the file and can be selected, copied or found by search. This tool does true redaction. Draw boxes over everything that must disappear, on any page; when you save, every page with a box is rendered as an image at the resolution you choose, the boxes are burned into that image, and the page is rebuilt from it. The covered text, images and hidden layers on those pages no longer exist in the file.

Pages without boxes are copied unchanged and keep their selectable text. The new file is built from scratch, so the document outline, metadata (author, title), attachments and form data of the original are dropped too. You can also convert every page to an image when nothing selectable may remain.

The trade-off is honest: redacted pages are pictures, so their text can no longer be selected or searched (run OCR PDF afterwards if you need it), and the file may be larger. Always check every page of the result before you share it.

How to use it

  1. Choose a PDF.
  2. Drag on the page to draw a box over each item to remove; move to other pages with the arrows.
  3. Choose the image resolution, and whether to convert every page.
  4. Click Redact and download, then check the result.

Frequently asked questions

Are my files uploaded?

No. The file is read and processed by your browser on your device; nothing is sent to a server. The PDF engine is downloaded from this site the first time you use a tool and then runs on your device.

Why not just draw black boxes in any PDF editor?

Boxes drawn as annotations or shapes sit on top of the text, which remains in the file. Here the affected pages are rebuilt from images, so there is nothing underneath to recover.

What happens to pages without boxes?

They are copied as they are, with selectable text. Turn on "Convert every page to an image" if nothing selectable may remain anywhere.

Is metadata removed?

Yes. The output is a new document, so the original title, author and other metadata, bookmarks, attachments and form data are not carried over.

Which resolution should I choose?

150 dpi keeps normal text readable at a reasonable file size; choose 300 dpi if the document will be printed or has small print.

What if my PDF is password-protected?

The tool will say so. If it is your file and you know the password, remove the protection with Unlock PDF first, then use the unlocked copy here.

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