Redact a PDF
Mark any area on a page, an ID number, an IBAN, a name, a salary, and the page is re-drawn with that area blacked out. The text underneath is actually removed from the file, not covered. Everything happens on your own device; the file is never uploaded.
Drop your files here
Files are processed on your device and never uploaded
Runs in your browser. Your file never leaves your device.
Three steps, that's it
Drop a PDF in the tray
Drag on the page to mark every area you want blacked out
Press Apply redaction, then download the redacted file
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from a cover box in the Edit PDF tool?
A cover box sits on top of the text, and the text stays inside the file where it can still be selected and copied. Redaction re-renders the whole page as an image with the marked area blacked out, so the text underneath is removed from the file for good; it cannot be selected, copied, or recovered.
Can a redacted area be recovered?
No. A redacted page comes out as an image with no text or content beneath the black mark, and the output is a fresh document that carries none of the original file's metadata. Your original file on your device stays untouched.
Does the rest of the file stay selectable?
Pages where you marked nothing are copied through unchanged, with their text still selectable. A page that carries a mark becomes an image, so its remaining text is no longer selectable and the file size can change. That is the price of actual removal.
Guides for this tool
Tools that go with this one
All tools
Every tool runs inside your browser without uploading the file.
- Edit PDFType, draw and manage pages
- Fill a formType into form fields, then lock them
- PDF to WordEditable text in a docx
- PDF to ExcelTables and numbers in a workbook
- PDF to PowerPointEvery page becomes a slide
- Word to PDFA Word file becomes a PDF
- Excel to PDFA spreadsheet becomes a PDF
- PowerPoint to PDFA deck becomes a PDF
- Merge PDFCombine files into one
- Split PDFExtract pages or split apart
- Split by sizeParts under an upload limit
- Compress PDFShrink files for sending
- Images to PDFTurn JPG and PNG into one PDF
- Clean up scanPhone photos become clean pages
- Black and whiteGrey, ready for the printer
- PDF to imagesExport pages as JPG or PNG
- Extract imagesPull out the pictures at full resolution
- Organize pagesReorder, delete, rotate visually
- Rotate PDFFix page orientation
- Unify page sizesOne size for every page
- Pages per sheetPrint four pages on one sheet
- Extract textCopy Arabic text out of PDFs
- Compare PDFsSee what changed between two versions
- WatermarkArabic or English text
- Page numbersArabic-Indic ١٢٣ or 123
- Protect PDFAdd a password to a file
- Unlock PDFRemove a password you know
- Repair PDFRebuild a file that will not open
- Scan to text (OCR)Read text out of scans and photos
- ZATCA invoice readerSee what the invoice QR stores
- Sign PDFPut your signature on the file
- Crop marginsTrim the page edges
- Flatten formLock filled fields from editing
- BookmarksSuggested from your headings
- File detailsSee them or erase them
More uses
- Compress your CV
- Compress for WhatsApp
- Merge bank statements
- Umrah & Hajj documents
- Number thesis pages
- Merge certificates
- Receipts to PDF
- Merge lecture notes
- Watermark your name
- Extract contract text
- Unlock a payslip
- Protect contracts before sending
- Merge an Ejar lease
- Clean up government forms
- Archive monthly invoices
- Promotion portfolio
- Split a textbook
- Confidential stamp
- Certificate photos to PDF
- Sign a contract
- Flatten a filled form
- Watermark an ID copy
- Protect a PDF for WhatsApp
- Compress a PDF to under 2 MB
- Compress a PDF to under 1 MB
- Compress a PDF to 500 KB or less
- Photo to PDF under 2 MB
- Write Arabic on a PDF
- Compress a PDF on iPhone
- Bank statement to Excel
- Scanned PDF to text
- Reversed Arabic text