Redact PDF: Black out text in a PDF so it is truly removed. Input: PDF files and values you enter. Output: Results shown on the page and a downloaded file. Privacy: Runs in your browser: inputs and files stay on your device and are not uploaded.
How to redact a PDF
- Drop your PDF onto the box or tap to choose it. Every page is shown so you can see what you are hiding.
- Drag across anything you want to hide to draw a box: names, addresses, signatures, account numbers, faces.
- Or type a word or name and press Redact matches to box every occurrence. Tick Emails, Phone numbers or Long numbers to find those automatically.
- Tap a box to select and delete it if it is wrong. Choose black or white boxes and the output quality.
- Press Apply redactions, download the result and check it before sharing.
Real redaction, not just black boxes
Drawing a black rectangle over text in most PDF editors only covers it: the text is still in the file and can be copied, searched or revealed by deleting the shape. Courts, governments and companies have leaked confidential information this way. This tool turns every page that has a redaction into a flat image with the boxes burned in, so the hidden text, and every other bit of text on that page, is removed from the file. Pages without redactions are copied unchanged, except that comments, notes and form values on them that contain text you searched for are removed; the document title, author and keywords are cleared. To strip the rest of the hidden information (dates, the XMP metadata), run the result through PDF metadata's Remove all metadata.
Flattened pages are no longer selectable or searchable, and they make the file larger; choose 150 dpi for smaller files or 300 dpi for crisp printing. Automatic search only works on PDFs that contain real text, not scanned images, so always look through every page yourself. Everything happens in your browser, which matters for exactly the documents people redact: HR files, legal discovery, medical records, bank statements and FOI responses.
Example: what redaction removes
Our test statement has a name and an account number on pages 1 and 3, a hidden copy in tiny white text, the same details in the document title and subject, and a comment that repeats them. Searching for the two terms placed 6 boxes, and the whole job took under 2 seconds in Chrome on a laptop. In the result the name and number were gone from the text, from the file's decoded contents, from the title and subject, and with the comment; the hidden white copy was gone too, and the boxes came out black. Pages 2 and 4, which had nothing to hide, kept exactly the same selectable text.
How it compares with free PDF sites
| This tool | iLovePDF (free) | Sejda (free) | Adobe Acrobat | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redaction | Free | Free, 1 file per task | Not stated | Acrobat Pro only |
| File size | Your device memory | 400 MB | 50 MB, 200 pages | Not stated |
| Tasks per day | No limit | Not stated | 3 | Not stated |
Free-plan limits as published by each service (checked 21 October 2026): iLovePDF pricing, Sejda pricing, Adobe Acrobat plans. They change often; the paid plans lift them.
Can redacted text be recovered?
No. Redacted pages are rebuilt as images with the boxes drawn in, so the original text and drawing data on those pages are gone from the file.
Why can't I select text on some pages afterwards?
Pages with redactions become images. To make them searchable again you can run the result through OCR, which reads only what is still visible.
Is my document uploaded?
No. The PDF is opened, redacted and saved on your device. The PDF engine comes from this site.
Does it work on scanned PDFs?
Yes, by drawing boxes by hand. Text search needs a PDF with real text.
How do I black out text in a PDF permanently?
Draw a box over it, or search for the word, then press Apply redactions. Pages with boxes are rebuilt as images, so the text underneath is removed from the file, not just covered.