How to redact a PDF so the text is really gone
Redact PDF deletes the words you mark from the page, then reads the page back to make sure nothing is left before it saves. A black box drawn over text only hides it: the words are still in the file.
Redact in four steps
- Open your PDF. Choose it in Redact PDF; Redact is ready.
- Mark what to remove. Drag over an area, or select text and choose Mark for redaction (Redact on a phone).
- Apply them. Choose the button that counts your marks, such as Apply 3 redactions, then Apply and save.
- Check the result. The redacted PDF opens again in place, so what you see is the file you’ll share.
Good to know
- Checked before saving. If a word is still found under a mark, nothing is saved, and you’re told where.
- Limits. A mark across part of a picture, such as one line of a scan, is refused for now. A mark over a whole picture, shape or comment removes it.
- Only the marked page. Bookmarks, the document’s properties, attachments and other pages keep any copies of the words they hold.
- Let it find them. Suggest… finds names, emails, card numbers and more, searching on your device.
- Sending it on? Lock it with a password too. Everything starts at OneStopPDF, and there are 48 single-purpose tools at onestoppdf.com/tools.
Questions
Can the redacted text be recovered?
Not from the marked page, because the words are deleted and the file is written again without its earlier version. A copy elsewhere, such as in a bookmark or the document’s properties, stays.
Does it work offline?
Yes, without an account it runs in your browser, so once the page has loaded it works with the Wi-Fi off.
Try it
Choose a PDF and mark what to remove. No sign‑up, no install.
Redact a PDF