Redact a PDF: black out text and images for good
Hide names, account numbers and anything else in a PDF so it can't be recovered. Draw boxes or let Find text mark emails, phone and card numbers and dates — the content under each box is removed, not just covered.
Quick answer
How do I permanently redact text in a PDF?
In Mergevanta's Redact PDF tool, draw boxes over what you want gone or use Find text to mark words, emails, phone and card numbers, then press Redact PDF. The text, image pixels and drawings under each box are deleted from the file, not just covered, so they can't be copied or uncovered.
- Price
- Free
- Watermark
- None
- Sign-up
- Not required
- Accepts
- You get
- A redacted .pdf
- Processing
- Encrypted server for files up to 4 MB, your browser for larger ones
- Files stored
- Never
- Works on
- Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android
Updated
Why use Mergevanta to redact a PDF
Removed, not just covered
Text, image pixels and drawings under each box are deleted from the file, so nothing can be copied out or revealed by moving the box.
Find personal data fast
Search your own words plus emails, phone and card numbers, dates, web links, PAN, Aadhaar and Social Security numbers, then keep or skip each match.
Hidden data cleaned too
Optionally remove metadata, attachments and scripts. Comments, links and form fields under a box are always removed.
Private and free
No watermark and no sign-up. Uploads are encrypted end to end, processed in memory and never stored.
How to redact a PDF with Mergevanta
- 1
Click Choose PDF and pick your file.
- 2
Drag on the page to draw boxes, or use Add box and Cover whole page.
- 3
Under Find text to redact, type words or pick patterns such as Email addresses, press Find and untick any match to skip.
- 4
Choose the Box color and whether to Remove hidden information.
- 5
Press Redact PDF, then Download.