A black rectangle drawn over a PDF is not redaction. If the text underneath is still selectable, searchable or recoverable, the secret is still in the file. True redaction removes the content, not just its appearance.
Step by step
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1
Upload your PDF
Drag your PDF onto the box or click Choose file. It is sent over an encrypted connection and only used for this task.
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Run it and download
Press Redact PDF and the page shows progress while it works. When it finishes you get a download link — nothing is emailed and nothing is stored longer than it needs to be.
Covering is not removing
A highlight or a filled shape is an annotation on top of the page. The original words remain in the content stream and can be copied or searched. Redact marks an area for destruction, then rewrites the page so the marked content is gone. The visible result may look similar; the difference is what is left underneath.
Mark every sensitive place
Search for names, account numbers, addresses and other known identifiers, then inspect headers, footers, signatures and image regions. A name may appear in a scanned image that text search cannot see. Check metadata too: author, title and comments can carry information even when the visible page is clean.
Check the exported copy
Open the downloaded PDF and try to select the redacted text. Search for the removed words and copy a line that crossed the marked area. Inspect it in a second viewer, not just the editor’s preview. If a word is still selectable, the redaction did not cover it.
Keep the original out of circulation
The unredacted source remains sensitive. Store it separately, do not attach it to the same email, and delete the working copy when the redacted version has been accepted. For legal or regulated documents, have the final copy reviewed before release; the tool removes content, but it cannot decide what is privileged.
Good habits for Redact PDF
- Keep a copy of the password — PDFwerk cannot recover it for you.
- Unlocking needs the current password; the tool does not break encryption.
- Permissions are advisory: a determined reader can bypass them, so use a password when the content really matters.
Common questions
Is this tool free?
Yes. Every tool on this site is free to use, with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily task limit.
Do I need to install anything?
No. The tools run in your browser and are processed by this server.
What happens to my files?
They are stored under an unguessable id and swept automatically after a couple of hours. Nothing is shared or indexed.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. The page pickers and editors are built for touch, so dragging, rotating and selecting pages all work without a mouse.
What does Redact PDF do exactly?
Draw over anything private, or let Smart detect find cards, emails, phones, IDs, IBANs and labelled names — then one press removes it from the file.
Is drawing a black box over text enough?
No. The text remains selectable and recoverable. Use the redaction workflow and verify that the words are no longer in the exported PDF.
Does redaction remove text from images?
Mark the image area itself; the page is rewritten without the marked pixels. Run OCR first if you need to find words inside a scan before marking them.
Can redaction be undone?
Not from the redacted copy. Keep the original separately if you need it, and treat the redacted export as the version to share.