Black out sensitive parts of a PDF so the text underneath is really gone. Free, runs entirely in your browser — your files are never uploaded.
How to use Redact PDF
Add the PDF you need to redact.
Drag a box over anything that must be removed, on any page.
Redact and download — marked pages are flattened so the hidden text no longer exists.
Frequently asked questions
Is the document uploaded to redact it?
Nothing is uploaded. The file is read into memory by the page and processed by your own browser, and the site’s Content Security Policy blocks outbound connections entirely — so it cannot send your file anywhere even if it tried. That is the whole reason this tool exists here: sending a document to a stranger’s server in order to remove its secrets defeats the purpose entirely.
Can the hidden text be recovered?
No. Any page you mark is re-rendered as an image with the boxes painted on, so the characters underneath are not covered — they are gone. This matters because the common failure is a black rectangle drawn on top of live text, which anyone can still select, copy or extract. Newspapers and governments have leaked real secrets exactly that way.
What does that cost me?
Redacted pages stop being searchable or selectable, because they are now pictures of pages. Pages you did not mark are copied across untouched and keep their real text, so a single redaction does not flatten the whole document.
Can I do this without a mouse?
Yes. "Add a box" places one in the middle of the page, then arrow keys move it, Alt with the arrows resizes it, and Delete removes it.