How to Redact a PDF on Any Device

Discover secure ways to redact sensitive information in PDF files online, on desktop, and your phone. Safely remove private data from your documents with Xodo tools.

Redacting confidential information from PDF documents is critical for protecting sensitive data, whether you’re managing business documents, financial records, or personal files.

Removing details of privacy like account numbers, addresses, or personally identifiable information (PII) from medical records, contracts, or financial statements ensures that your files are safe to share.

When you redact a PDF, the content is permanently deleted from the edited file, ensuring that hidden information in it cannot be recovered or viewed by anyone.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to redact a PDF across different platforms using secure redaction tools:

• Online in browser
• On Windows, macOS, or Linux desktop
• On Android or iOS device

We’ll also provide useful tips on redacting specific words, phrases and patterns like CC and phone numbers, and entire PDF pages.

What is PDF redaction and why is it important?

PDF redaction is the process of permanently removing sensitive information from a PDF to keep it safe from unauthorized access.

It’s an important step for businesses and individuals who need to protect privacy, especially when sharing documents that contain confidential details.

Sharing redacted PDF documents helps prevent identity theft, keeps trade secrets secure, and ensures you’re following important regulations like HIPAA and GDPR.

Preparing your PDF for redaction

Before redacting your PDF, it’s essential to prepare the document to ensure that the redactions is effective. Here are some steps to follow:

• Check for Attachments: Ensure the PDF does not contain any attachments or embedded files that may hold sensitive information.
• Review Metadata: Examine the PDF’s metadata, such as the author, creation date, and keywords, to ensure it does not contain any sensitive information.
• Editable Format: Make sure the PDF is in an editable format, meaning it has not been flattened or password-protected.

How to redact a PDF online

Follow these simple steps to securely redact your PDF online:

1. Open the free online PDF redaction tool.
2. Upload your PDF.
3. Highlight the content you want to redact.
4. Click on Redact All and then on Apply.
5. Download your redacted file.

Note: Make a copy of your original PDF document to avoid permanent changes.

Xodo's free online redaction tool also allows you to easily search for and then redact information like phone numbers, credit cards, and email addresses.

Additionally, you can convert your redacted PDF document into Microsoft Word format for further editing and secure handling.

Search and redact text and specific patterns in PDF documents

Here's how to select text and automatically redact specific patterns in your PDF at once:

1. Open your PDF in the free online PDF Redactor. 
2. In the search box, enter the text you want to find or select from predefined options such as credit card numbers, phone numbers, or email addresses to locate specific text patterns.
3. Select the instances you wish to redact from the search results and click Add Mark.
4. Click on Redact All and then Apply.
5. Save your redacted document.

To redact entire PDF pages, use the Redact pages button on the toolbar. Choose whether to redact current or specific pages, or only odd or even pages.

The search function is particularly useful for lengthy business documents or statements containing sensitive information like credit card or social security numbers. It allows for quick and permanent removal without the need for manual review of the entire document.

How to redact a PDF on desktop (offline)

Follow these steps to redact PDF on Windows, macOS, or Linux:

1. Download and install Xodo PDF Studio.
2. Launch the app.
3. Open the PDF with the content you wish to redact.
4. Go to the Document tab > Redact > Mark for Redaction using the redact tool. You can also use Ctrl + Shift + Y (Command + Shift + Y on Mac)
5. Click or drag with the mouse to select the text, images, or areas you want to redact.
6. After marking all desired areas, return to the Redaction menu and choose Apply All Redactions.
7. Select where you want to save your redacted PDF and click Save.

Xodo PDF Studio is a business-ready alternative to Adobe Acrobat that offers advanced offline capabilities to redact and sanitize PDF documents.

How to redact PDFs on iPhone and Android

Follow these simple steps to quickly redact PDF data on your iPhone or Android device:

1. Download the Xodo app on your iPhone or Android device.
2. Launch the Xodo app.
3. Tap on Redact PDF under the Toolbox menu.
4. Select the PDF file you want to redact.
5. Use the available tools to redact text, areas, pages, or perform a search and redact (more details below).
6. Tap APPLY and then FINISH.

Here are the available mobile PDF redaction options explained:

• Text redaction: Manually select and redact PDF text by tapping and dragging on the page to highlight the text you want to redact.
• Area redaction: Use this option for scanned PDFs without selectable text. Create a square area around the text to redact by tapping and dragging on the page.
• Page redaction: Redact entire pages using this option. Specify pages to redact by selecting Mark current page or specifying a page range.
• Redact by search: Quickly find and redact specific text in your PDF. Search using options like Match Case or Whole Word, select instances to redact, and tap MARK REDACTION.

To customize redaction appearances, tap the palette icon in the redaction box context menu or choose preset settings at the bottom.

Redact PDF files anytime, anywhere with Xodo tools

Now that you know how to securely redact PDF files online in your browser, on any desktop, and mobile devices, you can confidently protect your data with Xodo tools.

Our free online redaction tool was designed to permanently remove and black out PDF text, ensuring that your documents only reveal the information you intend.

Plus, with 100% offline redaction capabilities in our desktop PDF editor, you can securely redact documents without an internet connection.

When you’re on the go, Xodo mobile apps provide the same level of protection, allowing you to redact and secure documents anytime, anywhere.