Redaction
Permanently remove sensitive content from PDF documents.
Redaction requires a Pro plan or higher ($19/mo).
Redaction is permanent and irreversible. The original content cannot be recovered. Always keep a backup of the original document.
What is Redaction?
Redaction permanently removes content from a PDF:
- Text is completely deleted (not just covered)
- Images can be removed
- Metadata is cleaned
- No recovery possible
Redaction vs. Covering
| Method | Content Removed? | Secure? |
|---|---|---|
| Black rectangle | No | ❌ |
| White rectangle | No | ❌ |
| Redaction | Yes | ✅ |
Covering content with shapes does NOT remove it. The content can still be copied or extracted.
Redaction Process
1. Mark for Redaction
- Select the Redaction tool
- Mark content to redact:
- Draw over text
- Draw over images
- Draw over areas
2. Review Marks
- Review all redaction marks
- Marks appear as red outlines
- Content is still visible at this stage
- Add or remove marks as needed
3. Apply Redaction
- Click Apply Redactions
- Confirm the action
- Content is permanently removed
- Save the document
Redaction Tools
Text Redaction
Select and redact text:
- Select Mark Text for Redaction
- Click and drag over text
- Text is marked
Area Redaction
Redact rectangular areas:
- Select Mark Area for Redaction
- Draw a rectangle
- Everything in the area is marked
Search and Redact
Find and redact matching text:
- Click Search and Redact
- Enter search term
- Review matches
- Select which to redact
- Apply redactions
Redaction Appearance
Customize how redactions appear:
Fill Color
- Black (default)
- White
- Custom color
Overlay Text
Add text over redacted area:
- “REDACTED”
- “CONFIDENTIAL”
- Custom text
Font Settings
- Font family
- Font size
- Text color
Common Redaction Scenarios
Personal Information
- Social Security numbers
- Phone numbers
- Email addresses
- Names
- Addresses
Financial Information
- Account numbers
- Credit card numbers
- Salary information
Legal Documents
- Privileged information
- Witness names
- Confidential terms
Best Practices
- Always work on a copy
- Review marks carefully before applying
- Use Search and Redact for patterns
- Verify redaction by selecting text
- Run sanitization after redaction
- Document what was redacted (separately)
Next Steps
- Sanitization - Remove hidden metadata after redaction
- Permissions - Restrict further editing of redacted documents
- Password Protection - Add password protection before sharing
Last updated on