Redact a PDF
Redact a PDF free in your browser. Draw boxes over names, numbers or addresses, or search for a word and mark every match. Marked pages are saved as pictures with the boxes painted black, so the covered text is gone from the file, while unmarked pages keep their text. Your file stays on your device and no account is needed.
Drop your PDFs here
PDF, JPEG, PNG, WebP and HEIC/HEIF. Images become pages without selectable text.
Private: your file never leaves this device. Free and unlimited, no sign-up.- Gone, not just coveredMarked pages are rebuilt as pictures with the boxes painted in.
- Files stay on your deviceNo upload or account for free tools.
How to redact a PDF
- Step 1
Open your PDF
Choose the document that contains the private details.
- Step 2
Mark what to remove
Drag boxes over the text, or find a word and mark every match.
- Step 3
Check and save
Review each marked page, then download the redacted PDF.
Remove private details before you share
Covering text with a shape is not enough, because the words usually stay in the file underneath. FastOCR redacts differently. Each page you mark is drawn at high resolution with the black boxes burned into the picture, and that picture replaces the page. The covered words cannot be selected, searched or recovered from the saved file. Pages you do not mark are copied as they are, with their text. Draw a box on any page, or search for a name or number to mark every match in the page text. Check each page before you download. Marked pages lose their selectable text, links and form fields, and the new file does not carry over the original document properties or bookmarks. The work happens in your browser, so the document is not uploaded. If you need text back on the redacted pages, run the separate searchable PDF step afterwards.
Questions
Is the covered text really removed?
Yes. Each marked page is drawn to a picture with the boxes painted black, and the picture replaces the page. The covered words are not left behind as hidden text.
Do unmarked pages keep their text?
Yes. Only pages with a box become pictures. Other pages are copied with their selectable text.
Can I find text instead of drawing boxes?
Yes. Search for a word or phrase and every match in the page text is marked. Scanned pages have no text to search, so draw boxes on them.
Can I make the redacted file searchable again?
Yes. Redacted pages are pictures, and you can choose a separate OCR step to add a text layer. The black boxes stay black.
Do I need to upload the PDF?
No. Marking and the new PDF are made locally in the browser.