Redacting sensitive content from PDFs — social security numbers, addresses, financial data, confidential business information — protects privacy before sharing. Here is the free method.
True redaction permanently removes content — not just covers it with a black box that can be removed. At pdfeditor.onl, the eraser tool paints white/black over content which embeds permanently in the output file when downloaded.
Tip: IMPORTANT: Never redact by placing a black rectangle as an annotation — this can be removed to reveal the underlying text. Use the Eraser tool which permanently alters the page content.
Upload the PDF containing sensitive content.
Select the Eraser tool. Set the eraser color to black. Click and drag over each piece of sensitive information: names, ID numbers, addresses, signatures. The content is covered with a solid black box.
Download the redacted PDF. Open it and verify: try selecting and copying the redacted areas. The content should be permanently obscured.
The eraser embeds black paint on the page content layer. The original text is not accessible in the output file.
For legal or government classified documents, use dedicated redaction software (Adobe Acrobat Pro, Foxit Phantom) with verified redaction. For general privacy redaction before sharing, the eraser method is sufficient.
Yes — completely free at pdfeditor.onl/pdf-studio.