Redact a PDF — free, in your browser
Hide sensitive parts of a PDF before you share it. Black out the top/bottom bands or entire pages — no upload, no account.
What we found testing it
We redacted the top 8% and bottom 8% of a 4-page scanned letter. The address block and the footer disclaimer disappeared cleanly, and the file stayed local the whole time. On a 12-page contract we fully blacked out pages 11–12 (the signature appendix) with one entry. Output opened in every reader we tried.
How to use it
- Open the Redact PDF tool above and choose your PDF.
- Set the top and bottom band percentages (0 = no band). For a typical letterhead, 6–10% top and 4–6% bottom works.
- Enter which pages get the bands (all, or e.g. 1-3).
- To hide a whole page, type its number in 'Fully black out pages' (e.g. 2,4 or none).
- Click Redact PDF — the blacked-out file downloads to your device.
What redact does and doesn't do
| Redact can | Redact cannot |
|---|---|
| Black out margin bands on chosen pages | Cryptographically destroy the underlying data (use a certified tool for court filings) |
| Fully black out entire pages | Remove text from the file's text layer (it covers, it doesn't delete) |
| Run 100% in your browser | Guarantee the source data is unrecoverable by a determined forensic recovery |
For legal matters that require certified redaction, use a dedicated tool (e.g. Adobe Acrobat's redaction, which removes content) or a desktop PDF editor. For everyday privacy — hiding an address before emailing, blanking a footer — browser redaction is enough.
FAQ
Is PDFzen redaction free and private?
Yes. The file never leaves your browser; there is no account and no upload.
Is this the same as legal/certified redaction?
No. This draws black bars (visual redaction). Certified redaction removes the data from the file; use a dedicated legal tool for court documents.
Can I redact just one page?
Yes. Use the 'Fully black out pages' field for whole pages, or the band fields for partial coverage on specific pages.
Will the covered text come back if someone copies the PDF?
The black bars are drawn on top, so normal copy-paste of the visible page won't reveal them. The original data is still in the file, though — see the limits above.
Does redaction work on scanned PDFs?
Yes. Scanned pages are images, so blacking out an area hides it just like on any page.
What file do I get?
A redacted .pdf that opens in any reader.