Monu Tools

PDF Redaction

Black out names, numbers and any private text in a PDF, then download a copy with the redacted content truly removed, not just hidden. Runs in your browser.

Drag and drop a file here, or click to choose

Drag a box over anything you want to hide. The text underneath is removed, not just covered.

Files are processed in your browser and never uploaded.

How to use the Redact PDF

  1. 01

    Drop a PDF. It is opened in your browser and never uploaded.

  2. 02

    Drag a black box over each name, number or detail you want to hide; repeat across pages.

  3. 03

    Download the redacted PDF. The covered text is flattened away, not just hidden.

Frequently asked questions

Is the text really removed, or just covered?

Really removed. Each page is rendered to an image with the black boxes baked into the pixels, so there is no text layer left underneath. Nobody can select, copy or recover what you redacted.

Are my documents uploaded?

No. The whole process runs in your browser, so your PDF never leaves your device. That is what makes it safe for sensitive contracts, statements and records.

Why is the downloaded PDF not selectable anymore?

True redaction works by flattening each page to an image, which is the only way to guarantee the hidden text is gone. The trade-off is that the output is image-based, so its text is no longer selectable and the file can be larger.

Can I redact more than one page?

Yes. Every page is shown and you can draw redaction boxes on any of them before downloading a single redacted PDF.

Why is drawing a black box in a normal PDF editor not enough?

Because the text usually remains in the file underneath the box, where it can be selected, copied or revealed by removing the box. This tool destroys the underlying content, so there is nothing left to recover.

About this tool

A PDF redaction tool that permanently removes sensitive text instead of just hiding it behind a black rectangle. You draw boxes over the parts to hide, and each page is flattened to an image with the boxes baked in, so the original words are gone for good.

This matters because the obvious approach, drawing a black box in a PDF editor, often fails. The text usually still sits underneath the box in the file's text layer, where anyone can select it, copy it out, or strip the box away. Real redaction has to destroy the underlying content, not cover it.

Here, each page is rendered to an image with the black boxes burned into the pixels, then rebuilt into a new PDF. There is no text layer left beneath the redaction, so the hidden information cannot be selected, copied, searched or recovered.

It runs entirely in your browser using pdf.js, so confidential documents never leave your device. That is essential for exactly the files you would redact: contracts, bank statements, payslips, IDs, medical letters and anything you must share without leaking the details underneath.

Every page is shown, and you can draw as many redaction boxes as you need across any pages before exporting a single redacted PDF. Take a moment to cover everything sensitive, including headers, footers and reference numbers that are easy to overlook.

The trade-off of true redaction is that the output pages are image-based, so their text is no longer selectable and the file can be somewhat larger. That is the cost of a guarantee that the redacted content is actually gone.

Embed this tool

Add this tool to your own website. Copy the snippet below; it stays up to date automatically.

<iframe src="https://monu.tools/embed/en/pdf-redact" width="100%" height="640" style="border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:12px;max-width:680px" loading="lazy" title="Monu Tools"></iframe>

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