About Redact PDF
Redact PDF removes text you select, search for, or cover with a box. The words are deleted from the page, then the file is opened again and checked. A black bar is drawn only after that removal. Annotate PDF draws on top of a page and leaves the original text in place. This tool does not.
How to use Redact PDF
- Choose a PDF of up to 40 pages.
- Drag across words, search every page, or draw a box. Undo and redo change the pending marks.
- Select Apply redaction. The page shows what was removed and what had to be skipped.
- Download the PDF after the check finds none of the confirmed text left in the file.
Examples
A name on one page
Select the name, apply, and read the checklist before downloading.
The same word throughout
Search for it, review the matches, and redact the ones you keep on the list.
Limitations
- A black box drawn by another tool does not remove text. This one deletes the text it can reach, then checks.
- A scanned page has no text layer to select. A box can clear a picture only when that picture can be re-encoded.
- JPEG 2000, CMYK, and a page the reader cannot tokenize are skipped and listed. They are not described as removed.
- This is not a certificate, and it does not claim that every hidden copy in every viewer is gone.
- Encrypted PDFs and files over 40 pages or 40 MB are rejected.
Privacy
This tool processes everything locally in your browser tab. Your input is not uploaded to Utilhex or any third party, and it is discarded when you close or reload the page. Read the privacy policy for details.
Frequently asked questions
Are my PDFs uploaded to a server?
No. The file is read and processed by JavaScript running in your browser tab. Utilhex never receives the document, and closing the tab discards it.
Does the black box only hide the text?
No. The text is deleted from the page first, and a black bar is drawn afterward. If a confirmed phrase is still in the file, the download button is not offered.
Will this work on a scan?
A scan without a text layer has no words to find or select. A box removes pixels only when the image can be decoded and written back. Otherwise that region is listed as skipped.
Is this a redaction certificate?
No. The tool checks the text it was asked to remove and tells you what it skipped. It does not certify the document.
Can I use password-protected PDFs?
Not yet. Encrypted PDFs are detected and rejected with an explanation instead of producing a broken file. Remove the password in the application you used to protect it, then try again.