Redact a PDF
Black out names, account numbers, or whole paragraphs — and BrowsePDF rebuilds each redacted page so the text underneath is actually gone, not just hidden behind a box. Free, and the whole thing runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
- Underlying text is removed, not covered
- Never uploaded — runs in your browser
- Untouched pages keep selectable text
Redact in three steps
- 1
Open the file
Drop in the document with details you need gone — it opens right in the browser.
- 2
Black out what's sensitive
Draw boxes over names, account numbers, or entire paragraphs on any page.
- 3
Download the redacted PDF
BrowsePDF rebuilds each marked page and saves a file with the hidden content truly removed.
Real redaction, not a black box
Redaction that actually removes
A black rectangle drawn on top of text isn't redaction — the words are still in the file, and anyone can copy them out or delete the box. BrowsePDF rasterizes each page you redact and rebuilds it from the flattened image, so the text and objects under your marks are gone from the file, not merely covered.
- Cover text, numbers, or whole paragraphs
- Marked pages are flattened to remove hidden data
- Underlying text can't be copied or recovered
- Handles scans and native PDFs alike
Pages you don't touch stay sharp
Only the pages you redact get flattened into images. Every page you leave alone keeps its crisp, selectable, searchable text, so a 40-page report where you only blacked out two lines doesn't turn into one big picture. You lose the sensitive data, not the rest of the document.
Sensitive files never leave your device
Redaction usually means the document has something you'd never want on someone else's server — a medical record, a settlement, a witness name. So BrowsePDF does the whole job in your browser. The PDF isn't uploaded to be redacted; the removal happens on your device, and only the cleaned file you download ever exists anywhere else.
Why redact with BrowsePDF
Truly removed
Hidden text is deleted from the file, not covered
Safe to share
No copyable data left under the black boxes
Never uploaded
Redaction runs entirely in your browser
Rest stays text
Untouched pages keep selectable, searchable text
Your file never leaves your browser
This tool runs entirely in this tab. Your PDF is read from your device's memory, worked on locally, and handed straight back — it's never uploaded to a server, never stored, and never logged.
- Nothing is uploaded
- Works even offline once loaded
- Safe for sensitive files
Related tools
Redacting a PDF: what to know
Can the redacted text be recovered or copied out?
No. Each page you redact is flattened and rebuilt from an image, so the original text and objects under your marks are removed from the file — there's nothing left to select, copy, or undo.
Is my file uploaded to redact it?
No. Your PDF is opened and rebuilt locally; it's never sent anywhere. When you're done, you download the cleaned file, and that's the only copy that ever leaves your machine.
Is it free, and will there be a watermark?
Completely free with no login, and no watermark. The only change to the file is the material you chose to black out.
Do the redacted pages stay searchable?
The pages you redact become flattened images, so their text is no longer selectable — that's the point. Pages you don't mark keep their selectable, searchable text untouched.
Does this work on scanned documents?
Yes. Whether your PDF is a native document or a scan, you can draw over the sensitive areas and download a version with that content permanently removed.
About redacting PDFs
Redaction is what you do before a document with private details goes somewhere you can't fully control — a court filing, a records request, a contract shared with a vendor, a screenshot for a support ticket. The stakes are unusual: getting it wrong doesn't look wrong. A black box pasted over a Social Security number looks redacted on screen while the number sits untouched in the file, one copy-paste away from whoever opens it.
BrowsePDF treats redaction as removal, not concealment. When you mark a page, it rasterizes and rebuilds that page from a flattened image, so the words and data beneath your boxes stop existing in the file. It all happens in your browser, which matters most for exactly the sensitive documents that need redacting — they never get uploaded. The result is a file you can hand off knowing the parts you hid are actually gone.
Every PDF tool in one place
Convert, edit, sign, organize, and secure — all free, all in your browser.