Redact PDF
Permanently remove sensitive information from PDF documents. Text is physically removed — not just covered — so it cannot be selected, copied, searched, or recovered after export.
Upload a PDF to start redacting
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How Redact PDF works
What redaction does to your document
Redact PDF removes the text and areas you select from the exported file. For PDFs with a text layer, each page is rebuilt as an image during export, so the redacted text can no longer be selected, copied, or searched.
You can choose the fill color and an optional replacement label, for example a black box with the text REDACTED, so readers can see where content was removed.
When to use it
Typical uses include removing names, addresses, account numbers, phone numbers, or ID numbers from invoices, contracts, and application forms before you share them.
How the workflow works
Upload one PDF. If it contains digital text, individual text items become clickable, and you can also search for a word and redact every match at once.
The Detect patterns option highlights common sensitive data such as emails, phone numbers, IBANs, credit card numbers, and dates. The Redact Area tool lets you draw boxes over any region, including scans.
Limitations to know
Scanned PDFs have no digital text. Run OCR first to make the text clickable, or draw redaction areas manually. OCR currently recognizes English text.
For scanned pages, the exported file covers the selected areas instead of removing image content, so always review the result before sharing.
Redaction applies to text and drawn areas. Faces and objects in photos are not detected or blurred automatically.
Privacy during redaction
Redaction, including OCR for scanned pages, runs entirely in your browser. The file is not uploaded to PDFCustom servers.
Frequently asked questions
Is redacted text really removed from the file?
Can I redact a scanned document?
Does my file leave my device?
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