Last updated: October 6, 2026

Redact PDF Free – Black Out Text Permanently

Draw black boxes over sensitive text — burned in, not covered up. Free in-browser tool, no signup.

Drop your PDF here to redact it

Black out names, SSNs, salaries & signatures — permanently burned in, 100% in your browser

Real Redaction, Not Black Rectangles

To truly redact a PDF: the sensitive content must be removed from the file, not painted over. Upload above, drag boxes over everything to remove, and download — redacted pages come back as flat images with the black baked in, so there is no text layer left to uncover.

Covering ≠ redacting. A black rectangle in most editors is an annotation floating above live text: selectable underneath, searchable, and one delete-key away from exposure. Court filings, HR packets, and contracts have all leaked this way. If your current “redacted” file still lets you select text under the black, it was never redacted — run it through this tool and it will be.

How to Redact a PDF in 3 Steps

Upload PDF

Drop your file — contracts, statements, filings. It never leaves your device.

Black Out Text

Drag boxes over names, numbers, signatures. Cover generously; undo anytime.

Verify & Share

Download, try selecting the black areas, then share with confidence.

Why Redact Here Instead of Anywhere Else?

Burned, Not Covered

Redacted pages rebuilt as images — text destroyed.

Draw in Seconds

Drag boxes with mouse or finger, per-page undo.

Originals Never Upload

No server copy of your unredacted file exists.

Clean Pages Untouched

Non-redacted pages stay perfect vectors.

Works on Mobile

Touch drawing on iPhone and Android.

Unlimited & Free

No signup, no watermarks, no per-day caps.

The Complete Guide to PDF Redaction

Redaction exists for one reason: sharing a document with people who must not see parts of it — opposing counsel, the public record, a landlord, a future employer. The workflow is always the same: copy the original, remove the sensitive parts irreversibly, verify the result, then share only the cleaned copy. Every shortcut in that chain is a breach waiting for discovery.

The verification ritual (do not skip)

Open the downloaded file and attack it: try selecting blacked areas, copy-paste a redacted page into a text editor, search (Ctrl+F) for a redacted name or number, and zoom to 400% checking box edges for stray pixels of text. If anything leaks, widen the boxes and re-export — the original is untouched, so retries are free.

Common scenarios

Job seekers redact salary history and addresses from offer letters before sharing. Landlords and tenants redact bank statements down to the balance line for applications. Freelancers redact client names from portfolio pieces under NDA. Anyone filing publicly redacts SSNs, account numbers, and minors' names — then locks the result with Lock PDF for transit. Files that also need signatures get them first via Sign PDF, since signing after redaction is cleaner.

What redaction cannot do

It cannot fix a file already shared — once the unredacted version is out, assume it is kept. It cannot hide metadata perfectly on its own: strip document properties in your reader too. And it cannot make a weak legal position strong — when in doubt, consult counsel before disclosing at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything about redacting PDFs, answered

How do I black out text in a PDF for free?

Upload your PDF above, drag black boxes over every name, number, or signature to remove, and click Redact & Download. Redacted pages are re-rendered as flat images with the black burned in — the covered text is destroyed, not hidden. Free with no signup.

Is this redaction permanent? Can someone reveal the text underneath?

No — that is the point of true redaction. Redacted pages are rebuilt as flat images, so there is no text layer left to select, copy, or uncover. This is fundamentally safer than tools that merely draw black rectangles over live text (which anyone can delete). Always open the downloaded file and try selecting the blacked areas to confirm.

Why is drawing black boxes in a PDF editor not enough?

Most editors add black rectangles as annotations on top of intact text. Delete the rectangle and the SSN reappears; even without deleting, the text stays searchable and copyable underneath. Real redaction removes the underlying content — which is exactly what this tool does by flattening redacted pages.

Is this redact PDF tool free?

Yes, 100% free with no page limits up to 100MB per file and no signup. It is supported by clearly labeled display ads.

Is it safe to redact contracts and ID scans here?

Yes — the strongest case for browser-local tools. Your unredacted original never leaves your device: no upload, no server copy to delete, no retention policy to trust. Close the tab and the only copy is the one you downloaded.

What should I redact before sharing a document?

Social Security numbers, bank and routing numbers, signatures, home addresses, dates of birth, salary figures, medical details, minors’ names, and internal deal terms. When unsure, redact it — over-redaction embarrasses nobody, under-redaction can.

Will redaction change the rest of my document?

Only redacted pages change (they become high-resolution images, visually identical apart from the black boxes). Untouched pages are copied through as perfect vectors — text stays selectable and the file stays lean.

Can I undo a redaction after downloading?

No — and that irreversibility is the security guarantee. Keep your original file separately, work on a copy, and verify the redacted download page by page before sharing it.

Can I redact a scanned PDF?

Yes — scanned pages redact perfectly, since the tool works visually on the rendered page. Clean digital PDFs work too; both end up equally safe after burn-in.

Can I redact a password-protected PDF?

Unlock it first with its password using our Unlock PDF tool — redaction cannot bypass encryption. Re-apply protection with Lock PDF after redacting if the file must stay protected.

Can I redact on my phone?

Yes. The redactor works in mobile Chrome and Safari with touch drawing — drag boxes with your finger, pinch-zoom the page first for precise coverage of small text.

How is this different from Adobe redaction?

Adobe Acrobat Pro ($22.99/mo) offers true redaction plus extras like pattern search and audit reports. This tool covers the core job — draw boxes, burn them in permanently — free, with no account and no upload. For bulk auto-detection of PII patterns, a paid tool may still help.