How to Redact a PDF for Free (Black Out Text Permanently)
Before you share a bank statement, ID copy, contract or medical letter, you often need to hide some details: an account number, a phone number, an address or a name. Doing this the wrong way is a common mistake that leaves the "hidden" text inside the file. Here is how to redact a PDF properly, for free.
Covering is not the same as redacting
Many people draw a black or white box over text in a PDF editor and think it is gone. It is not. The words are usually still in the file underneath. Anyone can often select them, copy them, or find them with search.
Redacting means the text is removed for good. In our tool, every page you redact is rebuilt as a clean image with the black box burned in, so nothing remains under the box.
How to redact a PDF step by step
- Open Redact PDF and choose your PDF.
- In Find and black out words, type something you want to hide, for example a name, phone number or passport number, and press Find & mark. Every place it appears in the document is marked.
- To hide anything else, such as a signature, photo or stamp, drag on the page to draw a black box.
- Use the arrows to check every page. Tap × on a box if you marked something by mistake.
- Press Redact PDF and download your file.
What people usually redact
- Bank statements: account and card numbers, balances, transactions you do not want to share.
- ID and passport copies: ID numbers, date of birth or the photo, when the receiver does not need them.
- Contracts and invoices: prices, personal addresses, signatures.
- Work documents: customer names, emails and phone numbers before sharing a sample.
Redacting a scanned PDF
A scanned page is just a picture, so Find & mark cannot read its words. On scanned pages, draw the boxes by hand. Not sure if your file is a scan? Our guide Scanned PDF vs Normal PDF shows how to tell in seconds.
Check before you share
- Open the redacted file and look at every page.
- Try to select or search the hidden words. They should not be found.
- Keep your original file somewhere safe, and share only the redacted copy.
- Remember that numbers can appear in more than one format, for example with or without spaces. Search for each version.
Other ways to protect a document
- To stop people opening the file at all, add a password with Protect PDF.
- To mark a copy as private, add CONFIDENTIAL across the pages with Add Watermark.
- To share only some pages, remove the rest with Delete PDF Pages.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to redact a PDF here?
Yes. Redacting is free, needs no account and adds no watermark.
Is the hidden text really removed?
Yes. Every page with a black box is rebuilt as a clean image with the box burned in, so the text under it cannot be copied, searched or recovered from the file.
Is my document uploaded?
No. Redacting happens in your browser, so your private document never leaves your device.
Why did Find not find my word?
Scanned pages are pictures with no real text. Draw the boxes by hand on those pages.
Can I still select text after redacting?
Pages you redact become images, so their text can no longer be selected. Pages without a black box stay exactly as they were.
Can I redact a PDF on my phone?
Yes. It works in the browser on Android and iPhone. Drag with your finger to draw a box.