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Redact PDF
Black out names, bank details and other confidential passages so that the text really disappears from the file – with text search, search patterns and a check of the result. Everything happens right in your browser.
Files stay on your device Text removed, not covered
Redact PDF
Black out confidential passages – the text is truly removed from the file.
Black boxes drawn in ordinary PDF editors often only cover text – it can still be read underneath. This tool removes it: every page with a redaction is rebuilt as an image. Text on those pages can no longer be searched or copied afterwards.
Find passages
Matches
No matches yet. Search for text, choose a search pattern or draw areas right on the page.
Review the page and black out areas
Drag a rectangle with your mouse or finger over the passage you want to black out.
Your files are processed directly in your browser and are not uploaded. They never leave your device.
How it works
Redact a PDF in three steps
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Choose your PDF
Drop the PDF file into the box. Open protected files with their password.
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Mark the passages
Search for text, use the patterns for email addresses, phone numbers, IBANs and dates, or draw areas on the page.
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Redact and check
The affected pages are rebuilt as images, the result is checked automatically and is ready to download.
Redact a PDF without leaving the text underneath
Why black boxes are often not enough
If you put a black rectangle over a name in an ordinary PDF editor, you usually just cover it. The text stays in the file and can often be selected, copied or read with simple programs.
This tool works differently: every page with at least one redaction is rebuilt as an image, and the black areas are written into the pixels. Afterwards those pages contain no text that could be extracted.
How to find the passages
- Text search: marks every match on every page, regardless of upper or lower case
- Search patterns: email addresses, phone numbers, IBANs with checksum and dates – fixed rules, no AI
- Review matches: deselect individual matches before you redact
- Free areas: draw rectangles with your mouse or finger, for example over signatures, stamps or photos
Good to know
Redacted pages become images: their text can no longer be searched or copied. Pages without redactions keep their text.
The new file contains no metadata such as title or author, and no file attachments, bookmarks or comments. Form fields are written permanently into the pages. After saving, the tool checks automatically whether any of the redacted terms can still be read.
More with PaperOffice AI
Find and redact personal data automatically
The Redact Agent in the AI-DMS finds personal data in PDFs and scans and blacks it out or replaces it with fictitious values – with a preview and a reason for every finding.
- Finds names, addresses, phone numbers, IBANs and more
- 13 profiles, such as GDPR request or external sharing
- Preview with category, reason and legal basis
- Text is deleted from the PDF, metadata and attachments are cleaned
FAQ
Questions about redacting PDFs
Is the text really removed?
Yes. Every page with a redaction is rebuilt as an image, and the black areas are part of the pixels. Afterwards the tool checks the new file and tells you whether any of the redacted terms can still be read.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Searching, redacting and checking run entirely in your browser. Your file never leaves your device.
Does the tool detect personal data automatically?
No, it works without AI. It finds what you search for and, using fixed search patterns, email addresses, phone numbers, IBANs and dates. You mark names and addresses by searching or by hand. PaperOffice AI's Redact Agent finds them automatically.
Does it work with scanned documents?
Yes. For scans without a text layer, draw the areas by hand. If the scan has an invisible text layer, for example after text recognition, the search finds those passages too.
Why can't I search the text on redacted pages anymore?
Because the whole page becomes an image. That way no text is left under the black boxes. Pages without redactions keep their text.
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