Redact PDF

Drag a box over anything you want permanently blacked out. Real redaction — the page underneath is flattened to an image, not just covered. Free, no signup.

No signup required — start immediately
Real document security, not just a marketing label
Completely free, no hidden limits

Click to select a PDF file

or drag and drop

Add copyright notice — FreeEmbeds a hidden copyright notice in the file's metadata and page content. No account needed.

Add a watermark — FreeStamps visible text diagonally across every page. No account needed.

Password protect — FreeLocks the result with real AES-256 encryption. No account needed.

Disable copy & select — FreeOpens normally, no password needed — just blocks copying text or images out of it in readers that respect PDF permissions. Not foolproof (screenshots and some tools ignore this), but stops the one-click copy-paste path. No account needed.

Redact PDF — GuardedProSave the redacted result and fingerprint it so every copy traces back to you. You still get your own direct download, plus a share link to send instead of the raw file. Sign in to enable

This is just the start — Pro also gets you, from £4/month

•Revoke access instantly, even after it's been opened
•Invisible fingerprinting on every document
•Photo verification on open — approve or deny in 60 seconds

+9 more Pro features, from £4/month →

How to redact a PDF

Upload the PDF you want to edit.
Mark the areas you want redacted.
Download the result — the marked content is genuinely removed, not just covered.

Common reasons to redact a PDF

Removing a social security or account number before sharing a document externally
Blacking out a client's personal details before filing a document publicly
Redacting a section under legal privilege before disclosure

FAQ

Is the redacted content actually removed, or just covered visually?

Actually removed — the page is flattened so there's no way to select, copy, or reveal the text underneath, unlike drawing a black box in a PDF viewer.

Can this be undone once I download the file?

No — redaction is permanent on the output file, which is the point. Keep your original if you need the unredacted version later.

Does redaction affect the rest of the page's content?

No, only the areas you mark.