# Redact PDF and permanently black out sensitive information

URL: https://pdf.net/redact-pdf
Description: Before you share a contract or bank statement, redact PDF content you need to hide: the text and images under each box are removed and can’t be copied.

Cover names, account numbers, signatures, photos, or whole pages. What’s under the box is removed from the file, so no one can copy it back out.

## How to redact a PDF

1. Upload your document
2. Select text, images, or whole pages
3. Apply the redaction and download your PDF

## FAQ

### What does it mean to redact a PDF?

Redacting a PDF means permanently removing sensitive content, such as names, numbers, images, or whole pages, and showing a black box in its place. Unlike a shape drawn over the text, a redaction deletes the content from the file, so no one can read, copy, or search it.

### How do I redact a PDF?

Choose your file and it opens in the editor. Select the text you want to hide, draw a box over any image or area, then apply the redaction and download your PDF.

### Can a redaction be removed?

No. Once you apply a redaction in pdf.net, the content under the box is deleted from the file. It can’t be recovered, even with other PDF software.

### How do I black out text in PDF files?

Select the text and apply a redaction. pdf.net replaces it with a black box and removes the text itself. If you only draw a black rectangle over text, the text stays in the file and anyone can copy it from under the shape.

### Can I redact images and whole pages?

Yes. Draw a box over a photo, a signature, or part of a scanned page to remove it, or redact an entire page at once.

### Can I redact a PDF without Adobe Acrobat Pro?

Yes. pdf.net is an online PDF redaction tool that works in your browser on Windows, Mac, and mobile, so you don’t need Acrobat Pro, Preview, or any other installed software.

### Is blurring text the same as redacting it?

No. A blur, a highlight, or a black shape only changes how the page looks, and the text underneath stays in the file. Our PDF redactor removes the text, so there is nothing left to uncover.

### Is this tool free?

This tool is free to access and to redact PDF files. However, to download your new document, you need to subscribe to our services.

### Is it safe to upload sensitive documents?

Yes. Uploading your documents to pdf.net is safe and secure. Our online PDF editor uses secure HTTPS encryption and advanced safety protocols to keep your documents private and protected. We run on Google Cloud infrastructure with strict access controls.

### What file formats are supported?

You can upload PDF, DOC, DOCX, PPT, PPTX, PPSX, XLS, XLSX, JPG, PNG, HEIC, and HEIF files. Your file opens in the editor, where you can redact it and download it as a PDF.

### Can I redact a PDF on my phone?

Yes. pdf.net works in your mobile browser, so you can redact a PDF on an iPhone, an Android phone, or a tablet without installing an app.