How to redact a PDF
- Add a PDF.
- Search for text and draw boxes over anything else you want removed.
- Check each page, select Apply redactions, then download.
About this tool
Drawing a black box over text in most editors only hides it: the text is still in the file and can be copied out. PDFPUMA's redaction removes it. Every page you redact is rebuilt as an image with the redaction burned in, so the hidden text, and anything else under the box, is gone from the output.
Find text to redact by searching (for example a name, an email address or an account number), or draw boxes over areas such as signatures, photos and handwritten notes. Review every page before you apply.
Pages without redactions are kept exactly as they were. On redacted pages, the remaining text becomes part of the image, so it can't be selected or searched afterwards. Document information such as title and author is also cleared from the output.
Frequently asked questions
Are my files uploaded to PDFPUMA?
No. This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are read and processed on your device and the result is created there too — they are not sent to PDFPUMA's servers.
Is the redacted text really gone?
Yes. Redacted pages are rebuilt from an image of the page with the black boxes drawn in, so the original text and graphics on those pages aren't in the output file at all.
Why can't I select text on redacted pages afterwards?
Because those pages are rebuilt as images. That's what makes the redaction permanent. Pages you don't redact keep their selectable text.
Does search find text in scanned documents?
Only if the scan has a text layer. For scans without one, draw boxes over the areas to remove, or run OCR first.
Which plan includes Redact PDF?
Redact PDF is included in Business and Agency.
Can I use password-protected PDFs?
Not with this tool yet. PDFPUMA doesn't bypass PDF passwords or permissions. If you own the file, remove the password in the app you used to protect it, then try again.