Redact PDF Permanently, Without Uploading It
Black out names, numbers and lines of text so they cannot be recovered. Your file never leaves your device. Redacted pages are flattened into images, so the covered text is removed from the saved file. Free, no sign-up, no watermark.
- Removes the covered text
- Works on scans too
- Test it yourself in 2 minutes
Drop a PDF below, then click the Redact tool in the sidebar to start drawing boxes.
Drop a PDF here
Edit text, sign, watermark, merge, split, extract. Everything on one screen.
- No upload
- No sign-up
- No watermark
- Runs in your browser
How do I permanently redact a PDF?
Use a tool that removes the content under the box instead of only covering it. Here, you draw boxes with the Redact tool and press Save PDF. Each page with a box is saved as a flattened image with the box burned in, so the text underneath is gone from the file. A plain black rectangle or highlighter does not do this.
How to check that your redaction worked
Never trust a redaction you have not tested. This takes two minutes and works for any redaction tool, not only ours.
- Open the saved file in a different PDF viewer or browser tab, not in the editor.
- Go to a page you redacted and press Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on a Mac). Search for a word you covered. There should be no match.
- Press Ctrl+A to select everything on that page, copy it and paste it into a plain text editor. The covered words should not appear.
- Check the pages you did not redact. They keep their normal selectable text, so the same name may still appear there.
- Check the file properties (Document info) for names, titles or keywords.
Redaction mistakes that leak data
Documents shared with black boxes drawn over text have exposed the hidden words many times, because the text was never removed. These are the usual causes.
Drawing a black rectangle
A black shape is only a layer on top of the page. The text underneath is still in the file and can be copied out.
Using a black highlighter or black text colour
The words look hidden, but they are still real text. Select all and copy shows them.
Cropping the page
Cropping usually changes only the visible area. The content outside it often remains in the file.
Hiding text under a white box
Most text editors, including our own Edit text tool, cover the old words with a white box and keep the original in the file. For anything sensitive, use Redact.
Forgetting the metadata
Title, author, subject and keywords can reveal names or case details even when every page is clean.
Missing the other mentions
The same name can sit in a header, a footer, a later page or the file name. Search the whole document before you share it.
Checklist before you share a redacted PDF
- Redact every occurrence, including headers, footers and page numbers.
- Clear the Document info fields (title, author, subject, keywords).
- Save, then open the saved file in a different viewer.
- Search for each redacted word and try select-all and copy on the redacted pages.
- Keep the original somewhere safe and share only the redacted copy.
How it works
- 1
Drop your PDF
Choose a file. It opens in your browser with PDF.js and is never sent to a server. The Redact tool is already selected.
- 2
Draw over what to hide
Drag a box over every name, number or line you want gone. Draw as many boxes as you need, on any page.
- 3
Check Document info, then save
Open Document info and clear any title, author or keywords that could give something away, then press Save PDF. Pages with boxes are rebuilt as flattened images with the boxes burned in.
What flattening changes
A redacted page becomes a picture of the page. That is what makes the removal permanent, and it has two side effects: the file gets larger, and the text on that page can no longer be selected or searched. Pages without redactions stay exactly as they were. If you need a smaller file, use Compress PDF. If you need searchable text back on the visible parts, run the result through OCR PDF.
What people redact
Payslips and bank statements
Cover account numbers, addresses and employer details before sending proof of income.
Medical and insurance letters
Remove names, dates of birth and policy numbers before sharing a document.
Contracts and legal papers
Hide prices, names or clauses before a copy goes to a third party.
ID and application forms
Black out numbers you are not required to give while keeping the rest readable.
Questions people ask
Is the redaction really permanent?
Yes, for every page that has a redaction box. When you save, ToolDeck renders that page to an image with the black boxes burned into the pixels and replaces the page with that image. The covered text no longer exists in the saved file, so it cannot be copied, searched or recovered. Pages without boxes are not changed.
Can I redact a PDF without uploading it?
Yes. The PDF is opened, edited and saved inside your browser using PDF.js and pdf-lib, and it never leaves your device. You can check this yourself by watching the Network tab in your browser developer tools while you redact and save.
Does it remove sensitive data from the whole file?
It removes the content under your boxes on the pages you redact. It does not change pages you left alone, so the same name can still appear there. The Document info fields (title, author, subject, keywords) are kept unless you clear them before saving.
Why is the redacted PDF bigger, and why can I not select its text?
Redacted pages become images, which are larger than text and cannot be selected or searched. That is the price of removing the text for good. Run the result through Compress PDF to reduce the size, or OCR PDF to make the visible text searchable again.
Can I undo a redaction?
Before saving, yes: use Undo, or switch to Select, tap the box and delete it. After saving, no. The covered text is gone from the saved file, so keep your original file.
Is a black highlight or rectangle enough to redact a PDF?
No. A black shape or black highlight only sits on top of the text, which stays in the file and can be copied out. True redaction removes the content underneath. The section above lists the common mistakes and how to test your result.
Can I redact a scanned PDF?
Yes. A scan is already a picture, so the box is burned into the image like any other page. There is no hidden text layer to worry about, unless the scan was run through OCR earlier, and in that case the whole page is replaced anyway.
Does it work on iPhone and Android?
Yes, in modern mobile browsers. Drag a finger over the text to draw a box. A laptop is easier for long documents or very fine placement, because large PDFs render slowly on a phone.
Does this meet HIPAA, GDPR or legal redaction rules?
We make no compliance claims. The tool removes the covered content from the saved pages and works locally, so your file is not sent to us. Whether that is enough for a legal or regulatory process depends on your rules, so check your organisation's policy and test the saved file before you share it. This page is not legal advice.
Is it free, and does it add a watermark?
Yes, it is free, with no sign-up, no daily limit and no ToolDeck watermark. The only limit is your device memory, because everything runs locally.
Related PDF tools
PDF Editor
Edit text, sign, merge, split and watermark in one editor.
Flatten PDF
Lock forms, annotations and signatures into the page.
Compress PDF
Shrink the file after redaction, which can make it larger.
OCR PDF
Make the remaining text on flattened pages searchable again.
Protect PDF
Add a password before you share the redacted file.
Sign PDF
Draw or upload a signature on the finished document.
Your PDFs never leave your device
There is no upload step and no server-side document handling. The PDF is opened, rendered and rebuilt entirely in your browser using PDF.js and pdf-lib. Open your browser’s Network tab while you redact and save, and confirm that no request carries your file. See the step-by-step check.