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Redact PDF

An account number, a salary or an address has to go before the document moves on? Just drag a black rectangle over it. One thing matters: redacted pages are rebuilt from scratch, so the covered text is no longer inside the file. A black box with live text underneath is not a redaction, it is a leak waiting to happen.

Drag your file hereorChoose fileStays on your device
Runs entirely in your browser - no uploadThis tool processes your file exclusively on your device. Nothing is uploaded, nothing is stored. Close the tab and it is all gone.

How it works

  1. Choose the PDF that needs something blacked out.
  2. Go to the right page and drag a rectangle over the spot.
  3. Repeat for every spot - several areas per page are fine.
  4. Save the redacted PDF and download it.

Redact a PDF so the text is actually gone

The most common mistake when redacting: drawing a black rectangle over the text and saving the file. The text is still underneath and two clicks bring it back. To redact a PDF and black out text for real you need more than paint - this tool rebuilds every edited page as an image, so the covered characters never make it into the new file at all. Free, no sign-up, right in your browser.

Censor and anonymize a PDF without uploading it

The very documents that need something blacked out are the ones that should never be uploaded. Here everything happens in your browser: the preview, the blacking out and the saving. You can place several areas per page, remove individual ones and see exactly what will be covered - and pages you did not touch stay as they are, with selectable text.

And where does the finished PDF go?

PaperHero stores it encrypted in Germany, reads the text and finds it again when you need it. 30 days for €1, then €5.99 per month - cancel monthly.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the blacked-out text really gone?

Yes. Every page carrying a redaction is rebuilt as an image, the black rectangle is painted straight into that image, and the original text is not carried into the new file. Selecting, copying or searching will not bring it back.

Why can I no longer select the text on redacted pages?

That is the price of a redaction that holds - and exactly the point: edited pages become images. Pages without a redaction are untouched and keep their selectable text. If you still need the text of the redacted pages, run the file through text recognition afterwards to make it searchable again.

Are my files uploaded anywhere?

No. The redaction happens entirely in your browser. The file never leaves your computer, and once you close the tab nothing of it is left.

All tools →
Password-protect PDFWatermark PDFSign PDFRemove & add pagesRemove PDF passwordCompress PDF

Start today - your first binder is done in one evening.

Try 30 days for €1. After that it continues on the Small plan at €5.99 per month - cancel anytime.

Get started yourself

Create an account, get the app, photograph your first document. No setup needed.

Try it for €1
Redact a PDF: free, in your browser - PaperHero