Redact a PDF
Black out personal details, account numbers or anything else for good. Draw boxes or search for text, and the hidden content is removed from the file, not just covered up.
Choose a PDF
Mark what to remove
Draw boxes on the page preview, or find text to mark every match.
Redact & save
Preview
Upload a PDF to mark the areas to redact.
Handled locally
The document you're redacting never leaves this browser tab.
Content really removed
Marked pages are rebuilt as images, so hidden text can't be copied out.
Checked before download
Redacted pages are re-checked for leftover text before you get the file.
Redaction that really removes the content
Drawing a black rectangle over text in an ordinary PDF editor only hides it: the words are still in the file and can be copied out or found by search. This tool does true redaction. Each page you mark is rebuilt as an image with the boxes painted in, so the text, pictures and links under the boxes no longer exist in the downloaded file.
Draw boxes over anything on the page, or use Find & redact to mark every match of a word, name or number at once. Ready-made searches find email addresses, phone numbers, card numbers and IBANs. Review the list of marks, remove any you don't want, then save.
Before the download starts, the new file is opened again and the redacted pages are checked to make sure no text is left on them. Only the pages you redact become images; every other page stays unchanged with selectable text.
How to use it
- 1Upload your PDF.
- 2Draw boxes on the page, or search for text and patterns to mark.
- 3Review the list of marks and remove any mistakes.
- 4Choose the box colour and resolution, then click Redact & Download.
When to redact
- Sharing bank statements or payslips while hiding account numbers.
- Publishing documents with personal data of customers or staff removed.
- Sending contracts or court papers with confidential parts blacked out.
- Posting screenshots or reports without names, emails and phone numbers.
- Answering data requests where other people's personal details must be removed first.
- Removing internal notes or prices before a document goes to a customer or supplier.
What gets removed
On every page with at least one mark, the page is turned into an image at the resolution you choose and the boxes are painted onto it. The original text, vector graphics and images of that page are not copied into the new file.
The whole document is rebuilt as a fresh PDF, so document properties (title, author and so on), the hidden XMP metadata, bookmarks and form data are removed as well. Pages without marks are copied unchanged.
Tips for safe redaction
- Search for each name, number and email, then check every page by eye as well.
- Search boxes are padded generously; look at each one before saving.
- Keep your original file somewhere safe; the redaction can't be undone in the new copy.
- Open the downloaded PDF and try selecting or searching the hidden words to confirm they're gone.
Resolution and colour
200 DPI is sharp for reading and printing and is the recommended setting. Choose 300 DPI for small print or professional printing, and 150 DPI for the smallest file. Higher resolutions make redacted pages sharper but the file larger. Boxes can be black, the usual choice for official documents, or white for a cleaner look on forms.
Related tools
What Our Users Say
Real feedback from people using WeblixTools, checked by our team before it appears.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my file uploaded to a server?
No. The tool runs entirely in your browser tab using JavaScript. Your files never leave your device, and closing the tab discards them.
Can the redacted text be recovered?
No. Redacted pages are rebuilt as images with the boxes painted in, so the original text and graphics under the boxes are not in the new file. Keep your original if you might need the full version again.
Why can't I select text on redacted pages any more?
Turning a page into an image is what makes the redaction safe. Pages without marks keep their selectable text. If you need searchable text on the redacted pages, run the file through OCR PDF afterwards; the hidden parts stay hidden.
Which resolution should I choose?
200 DPI is sharp for reading and printing. Choose 300 DPI for small print or documents you will print professionally, and 150 DPI for the smallest file.
What do the ready-made searches find?
Email addresses, phone numbers, card numbers and IBANs. They are written to skip dates, amounts and invoice numbers, but always review the marks before saving, and add boxes by hand for anything they miss.
Does it work on scanned PDFs?
Yes, by drawing boxes: scanned pages are pictures, so text search finds nothing on them. Draw a box over each part you want to hide.
Is it free?
Yes. Files up to 300 MB work, though a big document with many marked pages takes a while, because every redacted page is rendered as an image.