Redact PDF - Remove Sensitive Information
Redact PDFs in your browser—files stay on your device
or Drag & drop files here
Supported formats: .pdf, application/pdf
Free Online PDF Redaction Tool - Permanently Hide Sensitive Information
Need to redact a PDF? Our free online PDF redaction tool lets you permanently black out sensitive information from documents without Adobe Pro. Whether you're protecting personal data in legal documents, censoring confidential business information, or hiding sensitive content before sharing, PDFyogi provides secure, browser-based redaction with visual drawing tools. Process files completely offline - your documents never leave your device.
100% free PDF redaction with no registration required. Trusted by legal professionals, HR departments, and privacy-conscious users worldwide.
How to Redact a PDF Online for Free
Permanently hide sensitive information in just 4 simple steps - no software installation needed
Upload Your PDF
Click 'Select PDF Files' or drag and drop the PDF document you want to redact. All processing happens locally in your browser for complete privacy.
Draw Redaction Areas
Use your mouse to draw rectangles over any text, images, or content you want to hide. Add multiple redaction areas anywhere on the page.
Select Pages to Redact
Choose to apply redactions to the current page only, all pages (for headers/footers), or specific page ranges. Customize redaction color if needed.
Download Redacted PDF
Click 'Redact PDF' to apply permanent redactions and download your censored document. The original file remains unchanged.
Why Choose PDFyogi for PDF Redaction?
The trusted choice for secure document redaction - free, private, and professional
No Adobe Pro Required
Redact PDFs for free without expensive Adobe Acrobat Pro subscription. Our tool provides professional-grade redaction capabilities at zero cost.
Complete Privacy Protection
100% browser-based processing means your sensitive documents never upload to any server. Perfect for confidential legal, medical, and financial documents.
Visual Drawing Interface
Intuitive click-and-drag redaction tools let you precisely mark exactly what content to hide. Preview redactions before applying.
Flexible Page Options
Apply redactions to single pages, all pages simultaneously (great for headers), or custom page ranges. Complete control over your redactions.
Customizable Redaction Marks
Choose black, white, or custom colors for redaction rectangles. Match your organization's standards or document requirements.
Instant Processing
Redact PDFs in seconds with our WebAssembly-powered engine. No waiting for server processing - everything happens instantly on your device.
PDF Redaction Use Cases
Discover how professionals use PDF redaction to protect sensitive information
Legal Document Redaction
Law firms redact privileged information, client details, and confidential case information from court filings, discovery documents, and legal correspondence.
Example: Redacting opposing counsel's work product, privileged communications, or personally identifiable information before document production.
GDPR & Privacy Compliance
Organizations redact personal data from documents to comply with GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, and other privacy regulations before sharing or archiving.
Example: Removing names, addresses, social security numbers, and other PII from records shared with third parties.
HR & Employee Records
Human resources departments redact sensitive employee information including salaries, performance reviews, and personal details from documents.
Example: Censoring salary figures before sharing compensation structure documents with managers.
Financial Document Sanitization
Banks and financial institutions redact account numbers, balances, and transaction details from statements before document sharing.
Example: Hiding account numbers and routing information when submitting bank statements for verification.
Medical Record Privacy
Healthcare providers redact patient identifying information from medical records when sharing for research, training, or insurance purposes.
Example: Redacting patient names and dates of birth from case studies used in medical education.
Real Estate & Contracts
Real estate agents and businesses redact pricing, terms, and personal details from contracts before sharing as templates or examples.
Example: Hiding purchase price and buyer information from contracts shared as reference documents.
How to Redact PDF on Any Device
Step-by-step guides for redacting PDFs on Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, and Android
Redact PDF on Windows
Redact PDFs on Windows 10/11 without Adobe Acrobat using our free browser-based tool. Works with Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.
- Open Chrome, Firefox, or Edge browser and navigate to PDFyogi Redact PDF tool
- Click 'Select PDF Files' or drag your PDF from File Explorer
- Click and drag to draw black redaction boxes over sensitive content
- Click 'Redact PDF' and save the redacted file to your Downloads folder
Redact PDF on Mac
Free PDF redaction on macOS without Preview's limited markup. Our tool provides true redaction that covers content permanently.
- Open Safari, Chrome, or Firefox and go to PDFyogi Redact PDF tool
- Click to upload or drag PDF files from Finder into the browser
- Draw rectangles over text or images you want to redact using your trackpad or mouse
- Apply redactions and download to your Mac - file saves to Downloads
Redact PDF on Linux
Redact PDFs on Ubuntu, Fedora, or any Linux distribution using our browser-based tool. No command-line tools or LibreOffice needed.
- Open Firefox or Chrome browser and navigate to PDFyogi Redact tool
- Upload your PDF file by clicking or dragging from file manager
- Draw redaction areas over sensitive information on any page
- Download the redacted PDF to your local directory
Redact PDF on iPhone & iPad
Redact sensitive information from PDFs directly on your iOS device. No app installation required - works in Safari.
- Open Safari on your iPhone or iPad and visit PDFyogi Redact PDF
- Tap 'Select PDF Files' and choose a PDF from Files or iCloud Drive
- Use your finger to draw redaction boxes over content to hide
- Tap 'Redact PDF' and save to Files app or share directly
Redact PDF on Android
Free PDF redaction on Android phones and tablets. Works in Chrome browser without downloading apps.
- Open Chrome browser and go to PDFyogi Redact PDF tool
- Tap upload and select a PDF from your device storage or Google Drive
- Touch and drag to draw black boxes over sensitive content
- Tap 'Redact PDF' and download the censored document
PDF Redaction Tool Comparison
See how PDFyogi compares to other PDF redaction solutions
| Feature | PDFyogi | Adobe Acrobat Pro | Smallpdf |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free to Use | ✓ Always Free | ✗ $239.88/year | ✗ $12/month |
| No Registration Required | ✓ No Signup | ✗ Adobe Account | ✗ Required |
| Visual Redaction Drawing | ✓ Draw & Preview | ✓ Draw & Search | ✓ Basic Drawing |
| Multi-Page Redaction | ✓ All Pages | ✓ All Pages | ✓ All Pages |
| Custom Redaction Colors | ✓ Any Color | ✓ Any Color | ✗ Black Only |
| Offline Processing | ✓ 100% Local | ✗ Desktop Only | ✗ Server Upload |
| No File Size Limits | ✓ Unlimited | ✓ Unlimited | ✗ 5MB Free |
| Works on Mobile | ✓ Full Support | ✗ Desktop App | ✓ Mobile Web |
| No Watermarks | ✓ No Marks | ✓ No Marks | ✗ Free Has Marks |
PDFyogi offers the most privacy-conscious PDF redaction solution with 100% local processing, no file size limits, and complete feature access without registration or payment. While Adobe Acrobat Pro provides enterprise-grade redaction, it requires expensive subscriptions. PDFyogi is ideal for privacy-focused users who need professional redaction without the cost.
Advanced PDF Redaction Tips
Expert techniques for effective and secure document redaction
Flatten After Redacting
For maximum security, flatten your PDF after redacting. This merges all layers and makes redaction marks truly permanent, preventing any possibility of content recovery.
Check Behind Redactions
Before finalizing, verify redactions completely cover sensitive content. Zoom in to ensure text doesn't peek around edges. Adjust redaction areas to add padding if needed.
Redact Headers & Footers Efficiently
Use 'Apply to All Pages' mode when redacting recurring elements like headers, footers, or page numbers. Draw once and apply everywhere to save time.
Consider Text Selection Redaction
For text-heavy documents, drawing accurate redaction boxes requires precision. Zoom in and use slow, deliberate mouse movements for exact placement.
Document Your Redactions
For legal and compliance purposes, keep a log of what was redacted and why. Some organizations require redaction justification for auditing purposes.
Use White Redaction for Clean Look
When redacting content that shouldn't look obviously censored, use white redaction color on white backgrounds for a cleaner appearance while still hiding content.
Technical Specifications
Detailed technical information about our PDF redaction tool
Frequently Asked Questions About PDF Redaction
Everything you need to know about redacting PDFs online
Upload your PDF to PDFyogi, draw rectangles over content you want to hide, then click 'Redact PDF' to download. Our tool is 100% free with no registration or software installation required.
Troubleshooting PDF Redaction Issues
Solutions to common problems when redacting PDF documents