PDF TOOLS
Redact PDF
Permanently redact a repeated region of a PDF by rasterizing pages and covering the selected area with opaque black.
Quick answer: Choose a PDF, drag a redaction box over the preview, select the pages it should cover, then create a new flattened PDF.
Use Redact PDF ↓Loading the tool…
How to use Redact PDF
- Open the PDFChoose the document and a page.
- Draw redaction boxesCover each sensitive area and choose the pages to apply it to.
- Create and verifyThe selected pages are flattened so covered text cannot be selected. Try selecting text in the result to confirm.
About this tool
A black rectangle drawn over text is not redaction if the words still sit underneath, selectable and copyable. This tool flattens the chosen pages first, so the covered area is only pixels, with no hidden text to recover.
Common uses: Remove visible account numbers, addresses, names, signatures or other repeated page regions before sharing a document.
Practical example: Drag the redaction box over the sensitive area, select every page where the same region should be covered, and inspect the flattened output before sharing it.
Important limitation: The workflow rasterizes selected pages, so selectable text, links, forms and vector detail are flattened. A redaction box must be checked carefully; it cannot identify sensitive content automatically.
Pages are flattened and redacted locally. The original and the redacted copy never leave your device. Read the privacy information.
How it works
The pages you select are rendered to images with the covered areas painted over, then rebuilt into a new PDF so the hidden text no longer exists on those pages.
Real-world uses
- Hiding account numbers in a statement
- Removing names before sharing a document
- Blacking out personal details in a scan
Redaction done properly
Mark every place the sensitive information appears, including headers, footers and repeated account numbers. The same box can be applied to several pages when the layout is identical. Then test the result: try selecting the covered area in a PDF viewer, search for the redacted words, and look at the file properties for names or titles you may also want to remove.
Because the selected pages are rasterized, the redacted pages lose selectable text, links and forms. That is the price of a reliable redaction. If the rest of the document needs to stay searchable, split out the pages that need redaction, redact them, and merge them back.
Redaction cannot find sensitive information for you. Read the whole document, remember that a name can appear in metadata and file names, and keep the unredacted original somewhere safe, not in the folder you are about to share.
Tips for better results
- Cover the whole sensitive region with a margin.
- Redacted pages become images, so text on them is no longer searchable.
- Also check metadata and other pages for the same information.
Frequently asked questions
Is the redaction permanent?
The output replaces each selected page with a rendered image and an opaque cover, so the covered source content is not preserved as selectable PDF content.
Can I redact different areas on different pages?
This focused workflow applies one normalized region to the selected pages. Use separate runs when page layouts differ.
Are my files uploaded?
Pages are flattened and redacted locally. The original and the redacted copy never leave your device.
Why not just draw a black box?
A box drawn over live text can often be removed or the text copied from beneath. Flattening prevents that.
Why not just draw a black box with an annotation tool?
Because the original text usually remains underneath and can be copied or revealed. A true redaction removes it.
Will the whole document lose its text?
Only the pages you redact are flattened. Other pages keep their text layer.