Redact PDF
Permanently black out sensitive text and images; auto-detect emails, IBANs, card and ID numbers.
How Redact PDF works
Permanently blacks out sensitive text and images. Unlike drawing a box on top, the characters in the marked area are deleted from the file, image pixels are painted over, and comments or form fields in the area are removed. The tool checks the result before saving, and if anything is still readable in a redacted area it turns just that page into an image to close the gap.
Draw areas with the mouse, search for text to mark every occurrence, or press "Find personal data" to mark email addresses, phone numbers, IBANs, card numbers and national ID numbers in one go. ID numbers (SSN, NINO, Steuer-ID, DNI/NIE, PESEL, CPF, Aadhaar and others) are verified by their check digits, so invoice or order numbers aren't caught by mistake; dates are optional. Text on scanned pages is recognized first. The redaction color can be black or white, and "Remove metadata" deletes details such as the author and title too. We explain why a black box isn't enough in this guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can redaction be undone?
No, and that's the point of doing it properly. Keep your original file and save the redacted copy under a different name.
How do I check that the redaction worked?
In the redacted file, search for a hidden word with Ctrl+F and try selecting and copying text across a box. Nothing should come up. Also run Sanitize Document to deal with metadata, attachments and comments.
Is Redact PDF free? Do I need an account?
It’s free and there’s no sign-up. We don’t ask for an email address and we don’t put a Yeti watermark on your file.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The file is processed in your browser’s memory on your own device and is never sent to Yeti’s servers. The limit is 25 MB and 200 pages per file.