PDF Redactor
Black out sensitive text or areas in a PDF — pages are flattened to images so covered content can't be recovered.
How to Redact a PDF
- Upload your PDF — every page is rendered as an image preview.
- If it has multiple pages, use the page selector to pick the one you want to redact.
- Click and drag directly on the page to draw a solid black box over any sensitive text or area, repeating for as many regions and pages as you need.
- Remove any box you don't want from the list, then click "Download Redacted PDF".
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the redacted text still be recovered or copied?
No. Each page is flattened into a single raster image with your black boxes permanently painted onto it before being placed into a brand-new PDF, so there is no underlying text layer left anywhere in the output file for anyone to select, copy, or extract - the covered content is genuinely gone, not just hidden beneath a shape.
Does this tool guarantee my PDF meets legal redaction requirements?
No. It visually and structurally removes the covered content by flattening every page to an image, which is the correct technical approach real redaction tools use, but you're responsible for reviewing the final file yourself - checking every page and box placement - before relying on it for legal, medical, or compliance purposes. This tool does not certify compliance with any regulation.
Why does the output PDF lose selectable text?
Because flattening to an image is the only way to guarantee redacted content can't be recovered. If the original text layer were kept, someone could still select or extract the "covered" text even with a black box drawn on top of it - converting every page to a picture removes that risk entirely, at the cost of the whole document no longer being searchable or selectable.
Can I redact more than one area, or multiple pages?
Yes - use the page selector to move between pages, draw as many black boxes as you need on each page, and remove any box before downloading. Every page of the PDF is flattened to an image in the final output, whether or not you added redaction boxes to it.
Is my PDF uploaded anywhere to redact it?
No. Rendering, redacting, and rebuilding the PDF all happen locally in your browser tab using pdf.js and pdf-lib - your file is never sent to a server.