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Redact PDF Online

Review full text runs matched by literal search, or select manual regions containing scanned text and graphics. The output is a new image-only PDF. Matching cannot cross separate PDF runs or automatically discover every sensitive item; inspect every exported page.

or drop the file here

Up to 50 MiB per PDF
View limits & supported files
Supported input
Select a PDF
Limits
Up to 50 MiB per PDF
Additional limits
Up to 100 pages
Processing
No file upload
File handling
Files remain in your browser
Browser processing No account required Direct download
Practical guidance

Cover matching text runs and selected image areas

Enter literal terms and review the complete runs that will be covered. Draw manual regions or use page coordinates for areas search cannot detect. Unmatched requested terms block output until removed or corrected.

Find repeated sensitive text

Search for a literal name, account number, address, or other repeated value contained within selectable PDF text runs.

Rebuild covered pages without source objects

Every page is rendered with the reviewed coverage and losslessly embedded into a new image-only PDF. Source text and interactive document structures are not copied.

Verify every redaction before sharing

Open the result, search for the original value, inspect visible areas, and confirm that sensitive information is not left elsewhere in the document.

About this tool

Review conservative text coverage and manual regions

A literal match covers its entire transformed text run, which can include neighbouring words. Manual regions cover scan or image content. The entire image-only result has no searchable source text, so an empty search alone does not verify coverage.

Useful for

  • Remove repeated selectable names, account numbers, or exact text values.
  • Create a redacted sharing copy from a supported digital PDF.
  • Inspect every covered area and the rest of each page in the downloaded copy.

Good to know

  • Scanned text is not found automatically; select its visible area manually. Separate PDF runs are not joined for matching.
  • Redaction must remove or irreversibly replace the sensitive content, not merely draw a black box above it.
  • Always inspect important pages manually before sharing the result.

How to Redact PDF Text

Choose the PDF, review matched full text runs and manual regions, create the image-only copy, then visually inspect every page before sharing.

  1. Choose a supported PDF.
  2. Enter literal terms and review complete matched runs; add manual regions for scanned text, graphics or unmatched content.
  3. Resolve unmatched terms, review every covered region and create the image-only PDF.
  4. Inspect all covered areas and other places where sensitive information may remain before sharing.
How to Redact PDF Text

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Recognize supported scanned text before using a selectable-text workflow.

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Compare the original and redacted copies visually during review.

PDF Reader

Inspect the document before and after redaction.

Flatten PDF

Fix supported interactive form values into page content; this is not a substitute for redaction.

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Browser processing questions

Can Redact PDF remove text from a scanned PDF?

Scanned text is not detected automatically. Select its visible area manually, review the coverage and inspect the exported page.

Is drawing a black box over text enough?

No. A secure redaction workflow must ensure the underlying sensitive content is no longer recoverable through normal PDF content access.

Can I redact the same value everywhere it appears?

Each matched run is covered in full, including neighbouring words stored in that run. Matching cannot span separate runs, and unmatched requested terms block output.

Will links, forms, or signatures remain on a rebuilt redacted page?

No. Every page is rebuilt as a losslessly embedded image. Selectable text, links, forms, annotations, accessibility data and signatures are lost throughout the output.

How should I verify the result?

Inspect every page visually, including other occurrences of sensitive information. An empty search is insufficient because the whole image-only output has no searchable source text.

Are my files uploaded?

No. Selected PDF contents are processed locally in this browser.

Practical PDF guides for complete tasks

Redact PDF guide PDF cropping versus redaction: which should you use? Use cropping for layout and visible boundaries, but use a verified redaction method for sensitive information because hidden cropped content may remain recoverable. Read guide → Redact PDF guide How PDFKaka Redacts Selectable PDF Text Use literal text matches or manually selected page regions to cover intended content, then inspect the rebuilt image-only PDF. The tool does not automatically identify every sensitive value or provide a universal… Read guide → Redact PDF guide How to Redact Selected Areas in a Scanned PDF Scanned words are pixels rather than searchable text runs. Manual regions let you deliberately cover an account number, signature or other visible area without depending on OCR recognition. Read guide →
View all PDFKaka Guides →