PDF Redactor
Search and redact sensitive text or confidential phrases from your PDF documents online.
Run tool
The PDF Redactor tool scans searchable page text across a submitted document and permanently removes occurrences of your designated search term. After you upload a standard PDF file and enter a specific keyword or phrase, the utility identifies matching text segments across every page and applies redactions to sanitize the output. You can leave the replacement field set to its default block symbol to obscure sensitive details, or enter custom ASCII text such as [REDACTED] to display an explicit label in place of the removed words. Once the process completes, the result panel shows the sanitized PDF file ready for download, along with the total count of scanned pages and matched terms. Because matching relies directly on the underlying PDF text layer, scanned images containing flattened text require optical character recognition before redaction. This tool gives you a straightforward way to scrub confidential names, account numbers, and sensitive phrases from digital documents.
Instructions
- Select and upload your PDF file in the File field.
- Type the exact keyword or phrase you want removed into the Search Text field.
- Keep the default block character or enter custom ASCII text in the Replacement field.
- Click Run to create the redacted PDF.
Examples
- Redacting an identification number: Upload 'tax_summary.pdf', enter '123-45-6789' into Search Text, leave Replacement with the default block, and generate the cleaned document.
- Replacing internal project names: Upload 'briefing.pdf', enter 'Project Titan' into Search Text, enter '[CONFIDENTIAL]' into Replacement, and download the updated PDF showing the label across all matched instances.
FAQ
Does this tool redact text contained inside scanned images?
No. The tool only works with selectable text. Scanned images or graphics without an OCR text layer cannot be matched.
What happens when I use a custom replacement phrase?
When you enter ASCII replacement text, that text replaces the redacted string. If non-ASCII characters or the default block character are used, the matched text is removed without adding literal annotation text.
Can I leave the search text input empty?
No, you must enter a search phrase to identify and remove text.