How to use it
- Choose the PDF. Its page count appears under the name, and the first page appears as a preview.
- Drag a box over each part to hide, on any page. Use Previous page and Next page to move between pages, and the cross next to a box in the list to remove it.
- Choose the Picture resolution, click Make redacted PDF and download the new file. Open it once to check that every box covers what it should.
What a box removes
A box is painted black on a picture of its page, and the page is rebuilt from that picture. The text, images and annotations under the box are not drawn into the new file, so they cannot be selected, copied or recovered from it.
A page with a box becomes a picture, so its text cannot be selected or searched there, and the file is larger. A page without a box is copied as it is: its text stays selectable. Draw boxes on every page that holds private content.
What the new file does not keep
The new file is built from the pages alone. The title, author and other document information of the original are not copied, and neither are its bookmarks. The file is labelled as made by FireToolLand.
Pages with a box lose their links and comments too, because they are pictures now. Pages without a box keep their links and comments.
Example: a three-page letter with an account number on page 2
The letter has three pages. Draw one box over the account number on page 2 and choose 150 dpi.
The new file still has three pages. Page 2 is a picture of the same size, with the box painted black; pages 1 and 3 stay as they were, with their text.
Frequently asked questions
Are my PDF files uploaded anywhere?
No. Your browser reads the file, draws the pages and makes the redacted copy on your own device. Nothing is sent to our server.
Is the text under a black box really gone?
On a page with a box, yes. That page is rebuilt from a picture with the box painted over it, so its text is not in the new file. A page without a box is copied as it is, and its text stays.
Why can I not select or search the text of a redacted page?
A redacted page is a picture, so its words are pixels, not text. Nothing on that page can be copied or found by a search, which is the point of redacting it.
Why is the new file larger than the original?
Each page with a box is stored as a picture, and a picture takes more room than text. The 72 dpi choice keeps the file small; 300 dpi keeps small print sharp.
Does the redacted file keep the title and author of the original?
No. The new file has no title, author or other document information from the original, and no bookmarks. Check the document properties of the new file before you share it.
Sources
- pdf.js, the open-source PDF renderer that draws each page in your browser
- pdf-lib, the open-source library that copies the pages and builds the new file in your browser
Figures and text last checked on Thursday, November 12, 2026.