How to Securely Share PDF Bank Statements

Learn how to securely share your bank statement by understanding security risks, removing metadata and redacting sensitive information using Xodo PDF Studio.

Need to send a bank statement for a loan application, audit, or contract?

Before you hit “send,” make sure your PDF is safe to share.

Bank statements contain sensitive data that can be misused if they fall into the wrong hands.

If you're unsure about how to go about sending bank statements, this guide will help. We'll walk you through how to:

• Reduce the risks of sharing sensitive information
• Prepare your PDF statement for sharing
• Redact sensitive information properly
• Clean up hidden PDF metadata
• Share your bank statement securely

By understanding the risks and using the right PDF tools, you can share your bank statements safely and securely.

Understand the risks first

While sharing bank statements may be necessary for loan applications, audits, or contractual agreements, it may also expose you to serious financial risks.

Bank statements often include:

• Account numbers
• Transaction history
• Personal identifiers
• Branch details

If exposed, this information can be used for fraud, identity theft, or unauthorized access.

Scammers may impersonate banks, send fake alerts, or use phishing tactics to trick you into sharing and sending over your personal financial information.

To reduce risking the information in your PDF bank statements and requests for financial data:

• Use strong, unique passwords
• Monitor your accounts regularly
• Verify suspicious requests through official channels
• Avoid clicking unknown links or attachments

Stolen data can lead to significant losses, unauthorized withdrawals or identity theft.

Prep your statement before sharing

In order to safely share a PDF statement, first identify the sensitive info that doesn't need to be shared.

When you need to review, prepare, and share electronic statements with others, you should:

• Open it on a secure device.
• Review each page for sensitive data.
• Remove pages that aren’t needed.
• Save a clean copy for sharing.
• Keep the original version for your records.
• Check metadata for timestamps or hidden info.

If you need help accessing your statement, see our guide on opening a bank statement PDF online.

Redact sensitive info with Xodo PDF Studio

Removing and redacting confidential data is essential for privacy. Xodo PDF Studio lets you permanently redact bank statements, so your details can’t be recovered.

To securely redact a PDF bank statement:

1. Download Xodo PDF Studio on Windows, macOS or Linux.
2. Open your PDF in the software.
3. Go to Document tab and click on Redact.
4. Review each page and select the data you wish to redact. This should include details such as names, addresses, social security numbers, or account numbers.
5. Confirm that each marked section is correct.
6. Click Apply All Redactions to complete the removal.
7. Save the new file under a different name.

Once redacted, the content is gone for good, so be sure to keep an original backup copy if needed.

Xodo PDF Studio is a popular choice among finance professionals and CPAs for its secure, offline capabilities across all major operating systems. Its competitive pricing also makes it a strong alternative to Adobe Acrobat.

Remove metadata before sending

Another important thing is to check the metadata of your PDF bank statements. Every digital file contains embedded metadata that contains information about the file, itself.

PDFs often contain hidden metadata like:

• Author name
• Creation date
• Device info
• Customer ID or loan numbers
• References to account numbers or routing numbers

To remove PDF metadata, follow these simple steps:

1. Download and install Xodo PDF Studio.
2. Open your PDF and go to Document > Properties.
3. In the General tab delete your metadata.
4. Click on Additional Metadata to view more information that may need to be removed. Click OK.
5. Once all your metadata looks safe to share, click OK.
6. Save the document to your computer.

Tools like Xodo PDF Studio include options for removing hidden information. For more about metadata and PDFs, see our guide on how to edit PDF metadata.

Share your PDF bank statement safely

Once your banking information has been secured, the last step is sending the document through a secure method.

Use any one of the methods below to help send it safely to your recipients:

• Encrypted email: Use services with security settings that require login or verification codes.
• Password-protected PDFs: Set a strong password for the PDF and share it separately.
• Secure portals: Upload your PDF to secure platforms with multi-factor authentication.
• Private networks: Avoid public Wi-Fi networks when sending sensitive financial information.

If your organization has internal review processes, follow them. For physical copies, store them securely or shred after use.

Protecting your bank statement data is crucial to preventing security breaches that can compromise both your finances and personal privacy.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to share your bank statements?

Yes, sharing your bank statements can be safe, as long as you take the proper precautions.

Before sharing, use Xodo PDF Studio to remove PDF metadata and permanently redact sensitive information. Then, send your bank statement using password protection, encrypted email, or secure file-sharing portals.

Can I edit transactions on a statement?

Yes, but be aware that unauthorized edits to financial data carry serious legal risks. For step-by-step instructions, see our guide on how to edit a bank statement PDF using Xodo PDF Studio.

What information is safe to share?

Routing numbers, IBANs, SWIFT codes, and your name are generally safe to share in the right context.

What should I black out on my statement?

To protect your financial security, you should black out your full account number, PINs, Social Security number, and any other personally identifiable information (PII).

How do I confirm a statement Is fully Redacted?

To verify a statement is fully redacted, open the redacted file and check for blacked-out or removed text.

Try copying, highlighting, or searching for any hidden information. If no redacted content can be viewed, selected, or recovered, the redaction was successful.

How do I extract data from PDF bank statements?

You can use Xodo PDF Studio to extract data from your PDF statements into Excel. For step-by-step instructions, see our guide on how to convert bank statements to Excel.

Share your bank statements with confidence

Sharing PDF bank statements containing sensitive details requires diligence, careful practice, and multiple steps.

You've learned about the risks of sharing bank information, how to review your statements, redact sensitive content, and edit metadata with Xodo PDF Studio.

By combining these best practices with the powerful features of Xodo PDF Studio, you can confidently share your bank statements while keeping your personal and financial information protected.

Try Xodo PDF Studio today and see what it can do for your document security.