FileSwift
Home/Redact PDF
Free · Runs in your browser · 100% Permanent Redaction

Redact a PDF,
permanently.

Black out sensitive text, credit card details, signatures, or personal data. FileSwift flattens each page into a secure image structure before export, making it mathematically impossible to recover or copy the text behind the redaction marks.

Input size
0 KB
Output size
0 KB
Cost
Free
🛡️ Private Local Processing: Your files never leave your device and are never uploaded or saved. Disconnect your internet to test—this page works 100% offline.

PDF Redactor

Upload your PDF below. Click and drag over any page preview to draw multiple blackout redaction boxes.

Drop your PDF here, or click to browse
One file at a time · local secure processing

How it works

  1. Upload your PDF. All pages will render as visual workspace previews inside the panel.
  2. Draw redaction boxes. Use your mouse or finger to drag rectangles over any text or images you want to censor. You can draw multiple boxes on any page.
  3. Choose your fill color. Select Black, White, or Gray to match the document styling.
  4. Download the secure PDF. Clicking "Redact & Download" converts your pages into images with the redact boxes permanently merged into the pixels, erasing the underlying data forever.

Common questions

Why does this tool flatten the PDF into images?

In standard vector PDFs, simply drawing a black rectangle over text only hides it visually. The underlying characters still exist in the file stream, meaning anyone can copy, paste, or search the redacted text. By converting each page into a flattened image, the text characters are permanently destroyed and replaced by solid pixels. This is the only method to guarantee absolute safety.

Is my redacted text recoverable?

No. Once the document is flattened and downloaded, the text beneath your black boxes is permanently erased. No software, search tool, or hacker can retrieve it, because the characters no longer exist in the file.

Does this upload my private documents?

No. Like all FileSwift tools, the entire redaction pipeline runs offline inside your browser. No files are uploaded to any server.