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How to Redact a PDF Properly

Last updated: 2026-07-26

Here's a mistake that has embarrassed law firms, journalists and governments: drawing a black rectangle over text in a PDF editor. The text is still there, under the box — anyone can select it, copy it, and paste it into a notepad to read every "hidden" word.

What real redaction means

Proper redaction doesn't cover information — it destroys it. After true redaction, the sensitive text no longer exists in the file at all: it can't be selected, copied, extracted or recovered by any means.

How to do it

1. Open the redaction tool below — and note it runs on your device, which matters most for exactly these documents.
2. Drag black boxes over anything sensitive: names, account numbers, addresses.
3. Click Redact. Pages with boxes are flattened so the content underneath is permanently removed.

Drawing a black redaction box over an account number in the redact tool

Check your work

After redacting, try to select the hidden area with your cursor — you can't grab any text. That's the proof cover-up boxes can't offer.

Open the free tool: Redact PDF →

More guides: How to Unlock a Bank Statement PDF · How to Make a PDF Smaller for Email · How to Edit a PDF Without Acrobat · All guides