PDF redactor / blackout tool
Drag in a PDF, draw boxes over sensitive content on any page, then download a redacted copy. Nothing is uploaded — all processing runs in your browser.
Click and drag on the PDF to mark areas for redaction. Navigate pages with the arrows. When done, click Redact & download to export a copy with black boxes burned in.
Drag a PDF here
or
Nothing is uploaded — processing is entirely client-side.
Rendering page…
Drag to draw a box · Right-click a box to remove it
How this tool works
PDF.js renders each page to an HTML canvas so you can see the document. A transparent overlay canvas sits on top and captures your mouse or touch input — when you drag, a black rectangle is recorded at those coordinates for that page. On export, pdf-lib loads the original PDF bytes, draws solid black rectangles at the exact positions on each page, and saves a new file for download.
Important: this tool applies visual redaction only — it paints black boxes over content but does not remove the underlying text data from the PDF. For legally required or compliance-grade redaction, use dedicated software that purges text streams from the file structure.
About this tool
This tool lets you draw redaction boxes over sensitive content in a PDF and download a copy with those areas covered by solid black rectangles. PDF.js renders each page so you can see the content; you click and drag to mark areas; pdf-lib burns the black rectangles into the PDF on export. All processing happens in your browser — no file is uploaded to a server.
Frequently asked questions
Is this tool truly private — is my PDF uploaded anywhere?
No. The PDF never leaves your browser. PDF.js and pdf-lib are JavaScript libraries that run locally. The tool loads those libraries from public CDNs (cdnjs and unpkg) — which only serve code, not your document — and all processing happens in your browser's memory.
Does this remove the underlying text from the PDF, or just cover it?
It covers text with black rectangles (visual redaction). The underlying text may still exist in the PDF's data structure and could potentially be extracted by PDF editing software. For legally required or high-stakes redactions — court documents, medical records, legal filings — use dedicated professional redaction software that scrubs text streams from the file. This tool is suited for everyday privacy hygiene, not compliance-grade redaction.
What if the export fails?
Some PDFs use encryption or non-standard features that pdf-lib cannot handle. If export fails, try printing the PDF to a new PDF first (File → Print → Save as PDF in your OS) to flatten it, then redact that copy.
Can I redact multiple pages?
Yes. Navigate between pages using the arrow buttons. Boxes are tracked per page and all of them are applied when you click Redact & download.