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  3. Redact PDF

Redact a PDF permanently

Black out personal details, account numbers or confidential passages before sharing a document, with true redaction that removes the content underneath.

Redact PDF now
  • No upload: 100% in your browser
  • No sign-up
  • Free to use
Drop your PDF here

PDF, JPG or PNG · processed on your device, never uploaded

How to redact PDF

It takes less than a minute with PDFHeron.

  1. Open the PDF

    Drop the file onto this page. It never leaves your device.

  2. Draw redaction boxes

    Choose Redact and drag over everything that must be hidden.

  3. Review

    Redaction areas are outlined so you can double-check before saving.

  4. Save

    On save, redacted pages are flattened so the hidden content is gone for good.

Why a black box isn’t enough

Drawing a black rectangle in many editors only covers the text; anyone can copy it out from underneath. PDFHeron burns redactions into the page: the page is converted to a high-resolution image with the boxes applied, so the original text no longer exists in the file.

Redact without uploading

Sensitive documents are exactly the ones you shouldn’t upload to a stranger’s server. With PDFHeron, redaction happens locally in your browser.

Why use PDFHeron to redact PDF?

Private by design

PDFHeron processes files on your device. No uploads, no cloud copies, no one else ever sees your documents.

Real editing

Change existing text and delete content from the file itself, not just paint boxes on top of it.

Instant & offline-ready

No queues or upload waits. Big documents open in seconds, and editing keeps working without a connection.

True redaction

Redacted areas are permanently removed from saved PDFs, so hidden text can’t be copied back out.

Standard PDF output

Saved files are regular PDFs with selectable text that open in Acrobat, Preview, Chrome and every other reader.

Free, or $2 once

Use every tool for free. Remove the footer forever with a one-time Pro license, with no subscription.

Redact PDF: FAQ

Can redacted text be recovered?

No. Pages containing redactions are flattened into images when you save, so the covered text is not in the file anymore.

Will the rest of the page still be searchable?

Flattened pages become images, so their text is no longer selectable. Other pages are unaffected.

What’s the difference between Redact and Whiteout?

Whiteout only covers content visually. Redact removes it permanently.

Related PDF tools

Whiteout PDFCover mistakes and blank out areas.Delete text from PDFRemove words, lines, bullets and shapes.Edit PDF metadataChange title, author, subject, keywords.Bates numberingLegal page IDs like ABC000001.

Helpful guides

How to redact a PDF properlyBlack boxes don’t always remove the text underneath. Learn how real PDF redaction works, a step-by-step method, and how to check your redactions.6 min readWhat is Bates numbering?What Bates numbers are, why lawyers and auditors use them, how a Bates number is structured, and how to add Bates numbers to a PDF for free.5 min read

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