PDFConvertersOnline.comHow to redact a PDF
- Choose the PDF and wait for its pages to appear.
- Drag boxes over anything private, or search for a word and use the quick picks for email addresses and phone numbers.
- Check every box, press Redact and save, then download the cleaned file.
Why a black rectangle is usually not enough
Drawing a black shape over text in a PDF editor hides it from view, but the text itself stays in the file underneath. Anyone can select it, copy it, search for it or delete the shape and read what was there. This mistake has exposed supposedly hidden details in published court filings and reports.
This tool does real redaction. Every page that has at least one box is rendered into a picture at 200 dpi, the black boxes are painted directly into that picture, and the picture replaces the original page. The words under the boxes no longer exist anywhere in the file, as text or otherwise. Pages you didn't mark are copied over untouched.
Three ways to mark what to hide
- Draw by hand. With Draw boxes selected, drag over a signature, a photo, a table row or any area. On a phone, switch between Scroll and Draw boxes so you can move through pages and mark them.
- Find and redact. Type a name, account number or any phrase. Every match on every page gets a box, and upper or lower case doesn't matter.
- Quick picks. One tap finds email addresses or number sequences that look like phone numbers. The phone pattern is broad on purpose, so it may also mark dates or reference numbers; remove any extra box with its × button.
Search only finds real text. If a page is a scan, it has no text to search, so draw boxes over those parts yourself.
What happens to redacted pages
| Pages with boxes | Pages without boxes |
|---|---|
| Turned into a JPG image at 200 dpi. They look the same when printed but text can't be selected or searched, and links on them stop working. | Kept exactly as they were, with selectable text, links and original quality. |
Because redacted pages become images, the file may grow a bit. If you need it smaller, run it through a compressor afterward. Bookmarks from the original are not carried over.
Hidden details are cleaned too
A PDF often stores the author's name, the title, the app it came from and dates in its document properties. Those can reveal as much as the page text. The redacted file is saved without them. To check or change the properties of other files, use the PDF Metadata Editor.
A careful redaction checklist
- Search for each name, number and address in all the forms it appears in, such as with and without spaces.
- Scroll through every page and look for anything the search missed, like handwriting, stamps or text inside images.
- After downloading, open the new file and try searching for a redacted word. It should not be found.
- Send only the redacted copy. If it also needs a password, add one with Protect PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Is the redacted text really gone?
Yes, on every page where you placed a box. Those pages are rebuilt as images with the black areas painted in, so the original text is not in the file at all. You can confirm by searching the downloaded PDF for a redacted word.
Why can't I select text on some pages after redacting?
Pages with at least one box become images, which is how the tool guarantees the covered text is removed. Pages without boxes keep their normal, selectable text.
Is my document uploaded while I redact it?
No. Rendering, searching and saving all happen inside your browser. Nothing from the file is sent to a server.
Can I undo a box?
Yes, before you save. Tap the × on any box to remove it, or use Remove all boxes to start again. After you save, the covered parts of the downloaded file can't be restored, so keep your original.
Does it work on scanned PDFs?
Drawing boxes works on any page. Find and redact and the quick picks need real text, so they won't find words in scanned images.