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How to Redact a PDF So the Text Is Really Gone

By Betsan · Updated 31 October 2026 · 4 min read

Drawing a black box over a number in a PDF looks like redaction, but in most apps the number is still in the file underneath. Anyone can select it, copy it or search for it. A proper redaction removes the text itself. Here is how to do it and how to check it worked.

Open Edit PDF →Add text, images and signatures, highlight, redact and fill forms. Free, files stay on your device.

Why a black box alone is not enough

A PDF keeps text as text. A shape drawn on top only hides it. Select all, or search for the number, and the hidden text is found. This is how redacted documents have leaked in the past.

Redact the PDF

  1. Open Edit PDF and choose the file. If it has a password, enter it.
  2. Pick Redact, then drag a box over each detail to hide: account numbers, Aadhaar or PAN numbers, addresses, signatures.
  3. Click "Download edited PDF". Pages with a Redact box are saved as a picture of the page with the box burned in, and the original page is not copied into the new file.

Check that it worked

  1. Open the downloaded file in your PDF viewer.
  2. Try to select the text under the box, or press Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac) and search for the number.
  3. If you can select or find it, do not share the file; redact again.

What changes in the file

  • Redacted pages become pictures, so their text can no longer be selected or searched. They look the same.
  • The file can get bigger. Use Compress PDF if a portal has a size limit.
  • Pages without a Redact box keep their text.
  • Delete pages you do not need to share: deleted pages are not copied into the new file.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Whiteout box the same as Redact?

Both cover part of the page and both save the page as a picture, so the covered text is removed. Whiteout covers with white and Redact with black.

Is the PDF sent to a server?

No. The PDF is opened, redacted and saved in your browser, so Aadhaar, bank and ID documents stay on your device.

Can I undo a redaction in the saved file?

No, and that is the point: the covered text is not in the new file. Keep your original file if you may need the details later; the original is never changed.

Tools used in this guide

Edit PDFAdd text, images and signatures, highlight, redact and fill formsCompress PDFReduce PDF size, or compress to a target KBProtect PDFAdd a password with real PDF encryptionSplit PDFExtract, delete or split pages

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