Redact a PDF
Draw black boxes over anything sensitive. On download, redacted pages are flattened so the hidden content cannot be recovered.
Unlike “covering” with a shape, redaction removes the content: every page that has a redaction box is re-rendered as an image with the boxes burned in. Text on those pages is no longer selectable. Metadata is stripped too.
How do I redact a PDF for free?
Open PDFkitt's Redact PDF tool (pdfkitt.com/redact-pdf/): open the PDF, drag boxes, check every page, then download. It is free, needs no account and adds no watermark, and it runs entirely in your browser — the file is never uploaded to a server.
- Price
- Free — no trial, no paid tier, no watermark
- Account
- Not needed
- File upload
- None — processed on your device, in the browser
- Limits
- No daily quota and no file-count limit
- Works on
- Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android, in any modern browser
Updated · by the PDFkitt team
Blacking out a name with a rectangle is not redaction: the text is still in the file and any viewer can copy it. PDFkitt’s Redact tool draws the boxes you want and, when you download, replaces every redacted page with a flattened image of that page with the boxes burned in. The hidden text and images are gone from the file, not just covered.
Because the whole process runs in your browser, the unredacted document never leaves your computer — the point of redaction in the first place. Keep the original safe.
How to redact a PDF
- Open the PDF The Redact tool is pre-selected.
- Drag boxes Over names, numbers, addresses, photos. Boxes can be moved or deleted until you download.
- Check every page Use the pages panel to make sure nothing is missed.
- Download Redacted pages are flattened; metadata is removed.
Why use PDFkitt to redact PDF?
The file is processed inside your browser tab. Disconnect from the internet after the page loads and it still works.
No signup, no email, no daily quota, no page limit, no watermark. Use it as often as you like.
Phone, tablet or desktop, in Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox. Nothing to install.
Frequently asked questions
Is the text really gone?
Yes on redacted pages: they are re-rendered as images and the original content is discarded. Verify by trying to select text on the page in a viewer.
Does it search for text to redact?
Not yet — you draw the boxes. Use the viewer’s search (Ctrl+F) to find occurrences.
Can I redact a scan?
Yes; scans are images already and the boxes are burned in.