Why are the redacted pages now images?

To remove the underlying text we have to render the page to pixels (no more glyph stream); we then black out the matched regions on those pixels. The output page is a flat image inside a PDF.

What about pages that had no matches?

They're kept as vector — copied byte-equivalent from the source. So selectability, font hinting, and text extraction still work for the non-redacted pages.

How does this differ from Redact PDF (regular)?

Regular Redact PDF draws a black rectangle OVER the text. The text is still in the PDF's data and can be copied out. True redaction REPLACES the page with a rasterised image — the original glyphs no longer exist in the file.

Why are the redacted pages now images?

To remove the underlying text we have to render the page to pixels (no more glyph stream); we then black out the matched regions on those pixels. The output page is a flat image inside a PDF.

What about pages that had no matches?

They're kept as vector — copied byte-equivalent from the source. So selectability, font hinting, and text extraction still work for the non-redacted pages.

How does this differ from Redact PDF (regular)?

Regular Redact PDF draws a black rectangle OVER the text. The text is still in the PDF's data and can be copied out. True redaction REPLACES the page with a rasterised image — the original glyphs no longer exist in the file.

Redact PDF (true content-stream removal)

Court-grade redaction: matched pages are rasterised, then black bars are drawn over the matches — the original text under the rectangles is permanently gone from the file, not just hidden. Pages with no matches stay as vector.

Your files never leave your browser. All processing happens on your device — nothing is uploaded.

1. Upload your file

Drop a PDF file here

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How does the Redact PDF (true content-stream removal) work?

Court-grade / compliance-grade redaction. Unlike the regular Redact PDF tool (which simply draws a black rectangle over the text, leaving the underlying glyphs in the PDF stream where they can still be copy-pasted out or read with a stream inspector), this tool RASTERISES every page that contains a match into a flat image, then draws the black bars on that image. The original text is permanently gone from the file for those pages — no copy-paste leak, no stream inspection. Pages with no matches are kept as vector (sharp, searchable). Trade-off: redacted pages lose vector-text selectability and are larger; pick the DPI to balance file size vs print sharpness.

🔒 Security & Privacy

All processing happens on your device. Your files never leave your browser, never touch our servers, and are not stored anywhere. Close the tab and the file is gone.

📱 Use it on any device

Works in any modern browser — Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android, and tablets. No installation, no app to download. Just open the page and start.

⚡ Quick & easy

Drag, drop, click. Most files process in seconds, not minutes. No watermarks added to your output, no per-day limits, and the tool always shows the result before asking you to download.

🎁 Always free, no signup

Free to use, every time. No account creation, no email required, no “trial” that converts to a paid plan. We make money from ads so you don’t have to pay.

Frequently asked

It is the right *technique* — the matched text is removed from the file, not just hidden. Whether your specific workflow is "safe enough" for a regulator or opposing counsel is a process question (review for missed matches, false positives, etc.). Always run with a SMALL pattern first and visually verify before relying on the output in a sensitive context.