Redact a PDF
Permanently remove SSNs, account numbers and other sensitive parts of a PDF so they cannot be recovered. Runs in your browser, free, no sign-up.
1. Upload a PDF
Drop a PDF here or choose a file.
One PDF up to 50MB ยท Up to 100 pages can be converted to images per run ยท Password-protected PDFs must be unlocked first
2. Areas to hide
Drag on the preview to draw a box. Draw one over each thing to hide, such as an ID number, account number, name or address.
No areas drawn yet.
3. Method
Only pages with areas become images. Other pages are copied as they are, so text stays searchable.
Your PDF never leaves this device.
Result
Add a PDF and its pages appear here. Drag rectangles over the parts to hide in the preview, then click Convert.
What to do next
How it works
Add a PDF and drag rectangles over the parts to hide in the preview. You can draw several, move them, resize them from the corners and delete them with the Delete key. The same area can be copied to every page. Choose black or white as the fill and click Convert.
Every page with a redaction is re-rendered as a 200 dpi image with the areas painted over, and that image replaces the original page. So the original text and image objects are not in the result. When it finishes, the tool reads the output back and reports whether any text remains on the converted pages.
Things to know
Converted pages cannot be searched or copied, and links, annotations, form fields and hidden layers on them are gone. Document-wide items such as bookmarks, attachments and form structures are not carried into the result either. Redacting every page blocks search throughout the file and increases its size.
You pick the areas yourself, so something can be missed. Opening the saved file to check is not optional. The tool does not guarantee legal sufficiency or compliance with any privacy regulation.
Frequently asked questions
Why not just draw a black box over it?
Because a box drawn on top leaves the text underneath intact, and anyone can copy or search it. This tool replaces every page that has a redaction with a flattened image, so the original text and image objects are not in the output file at all.
What changes on a page that was converted to an image?
That page can no longer be searched, copied or selected, and links, annotations and form fields on it are gone. It looks the same, but the file can get bigger. Pages without redactions are copied through untouched.
Does it find SSNs and account numbers automatically?
No. You draw the areas yourself. There is a button to copy the same area to every page. Open the saved file and check that nothing was missed.
Do my files get uploaded anywhere?
No. Drawing, rendering and assembly all happen inside your browser and nothing is sent over the network. The result disappears when you close the page, so save it.