Redacting a PDF, Step by Step
Open your PDF
Drop the document onto the upload area or click to browse. Each page is shown so you can read it and find what needs to be hidden.
Cover what should go
Drag a box over any name, number, or block of text you want removed. Add as many boxes as you need, move between pages, and remove a box with the cross if you place one by mistake.
Apply and download
Press Redact and Flatten. Every page is rebuilt as an image with the black boxes baked in, then saved as a new PDF you download. The hidden content is gone, not just covered.
Why This Redaction Is Real, Not Just a Black Box
A common mistake is drawing a black rectangle over text and saving the file. The text is still there underneath and can be copied, searched, or revealed by removing the box. This tool avoids that trap by flattening.
| Approach | What happens to the hidden text |
|---|---|
| Black box drawn on top (unsafe) | Still present in the file, recoverable by copy, search, or editing |
| This tool, flatten and rebuild | The page becomes an image with the box baked in, so the original text no longer exists |
| Selecting text under a redaction | Nothing to select, the redacted area is pixels only |
| The rest of the document | Rendered at high resolution so it stays clear and readable |
What to Know Before You Redact
Pages become images
Flattening turns redacted pages into pictures, so they are no longer selectable or searchable. That is what makes the content unrecoverable.
Cover generously
Draw boxes past the edges of anything sensitive, including partial characters, so nothing peeks out.
Check before applying
Review every page first. Once the file is flattened the change cannot be undone.
Keep the original
Hold on to your source file if you may still need the searchable version later.