How to redact a PDF safely

Smart. Private. Offline. A practical, no‑upload way to hide sensitive details before sharing a PDF.

Overview

Redaction should remove sensitive text, not just hide it visually. A safe workflow uses real redaction tools, exports a hardened PDF, and checks the result before you send it.

Step‑by‑step

Make a working copy. Keep your original PDF untouched and work on a copy.
Run OCR if needed. OCR reveals searchable text layers so you can redact accurately.
Mark redactions. Cover names, IDs, addresses, and signatures page by page.
Export a hardened PDF. Use a secure export that burns in redactions.
Verify the result. Try selecting or searching for redacted text to confirm it’s gone.

Best practices

Zoom in and scan every page before exporting.
Redact both visible text and any repeated headers/footers.
Send the exported copy — keep the original private.
Remove file metadata before sharing if it contains names or device info.

FAQ

Is covering text with a black box enough?

No. Visual boxes can be removed in some cases. Use a redaction tool that exports a hardened PDF.

Will OCR change how the PDF looks?

No. OCR adds a hidden text layer and keeps the original layout intact.

Does redaction work offline?

Yes. On-device redaction and export can work without an internet connection.