Redact PDF
Draw rectangles to mark sensitive areas, then flatten those pages to images so the underlying text is permanently gone.
100% in your browser — files never leave your device
How this redaction tool actually works
Most "redaction" tools simply draw black rectangles on top of a PDF. This is not real redaction — the text underneath remains in the file and can be extracted by copying and pasting or by any tool that reads the raw PDF stream. If you have ever seen redacted government documents with accidentally recoverable text, this is why.
This tool takes a fundamentally different approach for each page you mark. Instead of overlaying a shape, it renders the entire page to a high-resolution raster image (2x scale), paints solid black over the marked regions directly on that image, then replaces the original page content with the flattened image. The original text stream, vectors, and any hidden layers no longer exist in the output.
Pages without any redaction marks are copied directly from the source document and retain all original text, vector content, and metadata. Only the pages you explicitly mark are converted to images.
Frequently asked questions
Does redaction permanently remove the underlying text and data?
Yes — for pages you redact. This tool works by rendering each redacted page to an image, painting solid black rectangles over your marked regions, then embedding that image as the new page content. The original text, vector content, and metadata on those pages are replaced entirely by the rendered image. However, pages without any redaction marks are copied as-is and retain their original text content.
Why are redacted pages converted to images?
Simply drawing a black box over text in a PDF does not remove the text from the file — the text data remains in the PDF stream and can be extracted by any tool that ignores the visual overlay. By flattening each redacted page to a rasterized image first, this tool ensures the underlying text stream is genuinely replaced, not just covered up.
What are the trade-offs of image-based redaction?
Text on redacted pages will no longer be selectable or searchable — this is intentional and expected. The file size of redacted pages increases because raster images are larger than the original vector PDF content. Pages without redaction marks are copied directly and retain full text fidelity and original file size.
Are my files uploaded to any server?
No. All rendering and redaction processing happens in your browser using pdfjs-dist and pdf-lib. Your file never leaves your device.
Can I undo a redaction region before applying?
Yes. Before clicking Apply, hover over any marked region and click the red X button that appears to remove it. You can also use the "Clear this page" or "Clear all" buttons. Once you click Apply and download the file, the redactions in the downloaded copy are permanent.