Is the hidden text really gone?

Yes. Redacted pages are rasterized with the black boxes burned in, so the underlying text and images no longer exist in the file — they can't be copied or recovered.

Does my file get uploaded?

No. Redaction happens entirely in your browser — your document never leaves your device, which matters most for sensitive files.

Do unredacted pages lose quality?

Only the pages you draw on are turned into images. Pages with no boxes are kept exactly as they were.

Redact PDF Free — Black Out & Remove Sensitive Info

Files never leave your device.How it works

How to redact a PDF

1Drop your PDF above (or click to select).
2Drag black boxes over anything you want to hide; move between pages as needed.
3Click Apply — the covered content is flattened away — then download.

Frequently asked questions

Is the hidden text really gone?: Yes. Redacted pages are rasterized with the black boxes burned in, so the underlying text and images no longer exist in the file — they can't be copied or recovered.
Does my file get uploaded?: No. Redaction happens entirely in your browser — your document never leaves your device, which matters most for sensitive files.
Do unredacted pages lose quality?: Only the pages you draw on are turned into images. Pages with no boxes are kept exactly as they were.

Hide sensitive content for good

Covering text with a black rectangle isn't enough if the words are still in the file underneath — anyone can copy or extract them. Redact PDF draws your black boxes and then flattens each affected page to an image, so the hidden content is permanently removed, not just hidden. It all happens in your browser, which is exactly what you want for a sensitive document.

Draw, apply, done

Drag boxes over any names, numbers, signatures, or images you need gone, across as many pages as you like. When you apply, only the pages you marked are rasterized with the boxes burned in; every other page stays untouched and fully selectable.

Notes and limits

Because redacted pages become images, their text is no longer selectable — that's the point. Nothing is uploaded, so even confidential files stay on your device.

What gets rasterized and what stays intact

Only the pages you draw a box on are converted to images — the text layer, embedded fonts, and any hidden data on those specific pages are discarded in the process, not just visually covered. Pages you never touch keep their original text, fonts, and file size exactly as they were, so a 40-page contract with two redacted pages doesn't balloon in size or lose selectable text everywhere else.

Where this matters most

Redaction is the right tool before sharing discovery documents, HR files with salary or ID number fields, medical records, or any contract where a clause needs to disappear before it goes to an outside party — not just get covered by a colored rectangle in a PDF viewer, which anyone can move or delete to reveal what's underneath.

What redaction won't catch

If the sensitive text sits inside a scanned image rather than a real text layer, drawing a box over it and applying still removes it, since the whole page becomes a fresh image either way. It won't remove text sitting in comments or form fields elsewhere in the file — for that, pair it with Remove Annotations, or use Flatten PDF first if a file is full of stray markup you want gone everywhere, not just under your boxes.

Redact a PDF