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.
How It Works
How Redact PDF Works
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.
Worked Example
See It In Action
A bank statement PDF with an account number visible on every page can have a black rectangle drawn over that number on each page, then downloaded as a redacted copy where the account number is fully obscured under a solid black box before sharing with a third party.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No — redaction runs entirely in your browser using PDF.js and PDF-lib. Your file never leaves your device during this process.
Can I undo a redaction before downloading?
Yes — each redaction box appears in a list where you can delete individual entries, or clear all redactions at once, before applying and downloading the final file.
Can I choose a color other than black?
Yes — a redaction color picker lets you choose any solid color for the covering box, though black or another opaque, high-contrast color is recommended for genuinely hiding content.
Does this remove the hidden text from the file entirely, or just cover it visually?
The redaction box is drawn as a new opaque shape directly onto the page and the file is re-saved with it in place, which hides the content from every standard PDF viewer. For maximum assurance with extremely sensitive material, treat this the same as any visual redaction tool and verify the final file before distribution.
