Redact PDF
Redact sensitive information from PDF documents for free. Permanently remove text, images, and data — browser-based and secure.
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How to redact pdf
Upload your PDF
Drag and drop the document containing sensitive information you need to redact.
Select content to redact
Highlight text, draw over areas, or use search-and-redact to find specific terms.
Review redactions
Preview the document with redaction marks applied before making them permanent.
Download the redacted PDF
Get a clean document with sensitive data permanently and irreversibly removed.
About Redact PDF
PDF Shuttle's Redact PDF tool lets you permanently remove sensitive information from your documents. Select text, images, or entire areas to redact, and the tool replaces them with solid black (or custom color) rectangles. Unlike simply drawing over content, true redaction removes the underlying data completely.
Perfect for removing social security numbers, financial details, personal addresses, confidential names, proprietary information, or any sensitive content before sharing documents externally. The redaction is permanent and irreversible — the original data cannot be recovered from the redacted PDF.
All redaction runs in your browser for the highest level of privacy. Your sensitive documents are never uploaded to any server. The tool creates a new PDF with redacted content — your original file remains untouched.
Why use Redact PDF
- True redaction — permanently removes underlying data
- Select text, images, or draw custom redaction areas
- Search-and-redact for batch removal of specific terms
- Customizable redaction color (black, white, or custom)
- Optional metadata removal for complete privacy
- Runs entirely in your browser — no uploads
- No watermarks, no signup, completely free
Redact PDF - Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Redact PDF.
Yes. Unlike drawing a black rectangle over text, true redaction removes the underlying data completely. The original content cannot be recovered from the redacted PDF.
Text, images, entire areas, metadata, and hidden content. Select specific words, sentences, or draw rectangles over any area you want to permanently remove.
Yes. Use the search-and-redact feature to find all instances of a name, number, or phrase and redact them all at once across the entire document.
Yes. The default is black, but you can choose white or any custom color for the redaction overlay.
Yes. All redaction runs in your browser. Your sensitive document is never uploaded to any server.
Before downloading, you can remove redaction marks. After downloading, redaction is permanent and the original data cannot be recovered from the redacted file.
Yes. The tool can also remove document metadata such as author name, creation date, and revision history for complete privacy.
Guides for Redact PDF
Learn workflows, tips, and best practices before you process your file.
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