Redact PDF
Burn opaque black boxes into a PDF. Marked pages are flattened so covered text cannot be recovered.
Deleted after the job
Preview stays in this browser. We upload once, burn the boxes at 300 DPI, then delete the files.
Burned-in redaction — not a hideable highlight
Drawing a box paints opaque black, then we flatten that page so the covered words cannot be selected or extracted. Unmarked pages keep their original text. Max 50 MB, 80 pages. Need properties gone but text kept? Remove PDF metadata.
Drop a PDF to redact
PDF only · max 50 MB
How it works
- 1
Drop the PDF
Preview stays in this browser.
- 2
Draw black boxes
Drag on each page that must be burned in.
- 3
Download
Marked pages are flattened at 300 DPI. The upload is deleted.
Burned boxes, not a black highlight
Redact draws opaque rectangles on a client-side preview, then the server flattens those pages at 300 DPI so the covered glyphs cannot be selected, copied, or extracted. Unmarked pages stay as vectors. Document metadata is stripped on the way out.
A black annotation you can delete in Acrobat is not redaction. If the secret is only in the Info dictionary or XMP, use Remove PDF metadata instead — that tool does not flatten pages. If the secret is on the page, use this tool.
- Draw a box per region. Review every page before you download.
- Flattened pages are images. They print sharp at 300 DPI but are larger.
- This is not a legal hold or a court-ready protocol. It is a technical burn-in.
About Redact PDF
Redact PDF burns opaque black boxes and flattens those pages at 300 DPI so covered text cannot be selected or extracted. Unmarked pages stay as vectors. Metadata is stripped on the way out. This is not a hideable annotation.
What people use it for
- Black out an ID number before sharing a scan
- Hide an account line on a statement page
- Remove a name from a page that must otherwise stay intact
Privacy: Your PDF is uploaded over HTTPS, processed, returned to you, then deleted from our servers immediately. We do not retain or share your files.
Frequently asked questions
Can someone recover the covered text from the download?+
Not from the output we return. Marked pages are flattened at 300 DPI with opaque black boxes. Unmarked pages keep selectable text. Metadata is stripped.
Is this the same as highlighting black in Preview?+
No. A black annotation can often be deleted. We rasterize marked pages so the bars are burned in.
Does redact hide document properties?+
Yes, Info/XMP go on the way out. Secrets sitting on the page still need a box. Use Remove PDF metadata if the secret is only in properties.
More answers on the FAQ page and our privacy policy.
People also use
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Remove PDF metadata
Strip title, author, XMP, attachments, and JavaScript. Page content is not rasterized.
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Protect PDF
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Compress PDF
Shrink PDF file size with quality presets. The upload is deleted after the job.
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