Cover sensitive text or images on a PDF page with a solid black (or custom-colored) box before sharing the document, processed entirely in your browser.
Redact PDF tool
Upload a PDF to start redacting
Everything you need to know about redact pdf
How to Redact PDF
This tool runs entirely client-side: your PDF is never uploaded to a server. PDF.js renders each page onto a canvas, and you draw rectangles directly over any areas you want to hide — names, account numbers, signatures, or any other sensitive content.
When you apply and download, PDF-lib loads the original PDF and draws a fully opaque, solid-color rectangle at each marked location directly onto that page's content, at the color you chose, then saves the modified file.
Because the rectangle is drawn as a new opaque shape directly on top of the page content and the file is re-saved with that shape baked in, the covered area is no longer visible in any PDF viewer — but as with any box-over redaction, the safest practice for highly sensitive documents is to also verify the exported file doesn't retain a hidden layer, since the shape sits on top of (rather than deletes) the original content stream.
Safe & Secure
Your files are uploaded over an encrypted (SSL) connection. We don't store, read, or share the contents of your files — they're processed to generate your result and are not retained on our servers afterward.
Who Uses Redact PDF?
- Permanently removing a social security number or account number before sharing a document publicly.
- Blacking out confidential sections of a contract before sending a redacted version to a third party.
- Preparing a document for public records release with personal information removed.
Limitations to Avoid
- Confusing redaction with simply drawing a black box over text — a true redaction removes the underlying text data entirely; a black box overlay can sometimes still be selected/copied out from underneath.
- Redacting only the visible copy while forgetting the same sensitive information might exist elsewhere in metadata or earlier in a document's revision history.
Tips for Best Results
- After redacting, try selecting/copying text from the redacted area in a PDF viewer to confirm the underlying content was actually removed, not just visually covered.
Privacy Commitment
We respect your privacy. All files are processed securely and are never sold, shared, or used for anything beyond generating your result.