Open the Vootkit workspace.
01PDF toolTool result
Redact PDF
Black out sensitive text before you send a file.
100% FreeRuns instantlyNo watermark
- 1Choose toolOpen the Vootkit workspace.
- 2Add inputProvide the content or settings.
- 3ProcessLet the browser do the work.
Private by designProcessed on your device where possible.
Works on any deviceDesktop, tablet and mobile browsers.
No installationOpen the page and start working.
Always free coreUse the free plan for everyday tasks.
How to use Redact PDF
Provide the content or settings.
02Let the browser do the work.
03Copy, download or continue.
04Your files stay private
Your work is processed locally in your browser where possible and is never added to a Vootkit upload library.
Learn more about privacyDrawing a black rectangle over a name in most PDF editors hides nothing — the text is still in the file, still selectable, still recoverable by anyone who copies and pastes. Redaction has to destroy the data, not cover it. This does, and the way it does that has consequences worth understanding before you use it.
What Redact PDF does
The page is rendered to an image first, then your black boxes are painted onto that image. The original text objects are gone from the output entirely — there is nothing underneath to select, search or recover, because the output is pixels rather than text.
It exports a PNG of the page, not a PDF. You work one page at a time and download that page as an image. That is a real limitation and worth knowing before you start: to redact a ten-page document you export ten PNGs, then rebuild them into a PDF.
What it does and does not do
| Method | Page rasterised, boxes painted onto the raster |
|---|---|
| Is the text recoverable? | No — it is not present in the output |
| Output format | <strong>PNG, one page at a time</strong> |
| To get a PDF back | Export pages, then use JPG to PDF |
| Render scale | 1.3× the PDF page size |
| Side effect | Remaining text stops being selectable or searchable |
| Input | |
| Privacy | Processed in your browser — never uploaded |
Detailed steps
- Add the PDF and move to the page you need.
- Drag rectangles over anything to be removed. Cover generously — near-misses at the edge of a character are still legible.
- Export the page as PNG.
- Repeat for each page, then rebuild a PDF with the JPG to PDF tool if you need one document.
Worth knowing
Check the exported PNG before you send it, and check it by trying to select text — there should be none, anywhere on the page. That is the test that distinguishes real redaction from a black rectangle, and it is the test that court filings and FOI releases have repeatedly failed in public.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone recover what I covered?
No. The output is an image of the page with the boxes already painted into the pixels. There are no text objects behind them because there are no text objects at all — that is the point of rasterising first.
Why do I get a PNG instead of a redacted PDF?
Because the safe method produces an image, and the tool hands you that image directly rather than pretending otherwise. Run the exported pages through JPG to PDF to reassemble a document.
What is the downside of this approach?
The whole page becomes an image. The rest of the text is no longer selectable, searchable or reflowable, screen readers cannot read it, and the file is usually larger. That is the price of certainty, and for genuinely sensitive material it is worth paying.
Can I redact several pages at once?
Not currently — it is one page at a time. For a long document that is laborious, but redaction is one of the few operations where working page by page and checking each result is the responsible way to do it.
Is Redact PDF free?
Yes. The Vootkit free plan includes 5 tool runs a day. Upgrade to Vootkit Pro for unlimited daily use, an ad-free workspace and saved workflows.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Redact PDF runs entirely in your browser — your file is processed on your own device and never sent to a server. There is nothing for us to store or delete.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Redact PDF works in any modern browser on desktop, tablet or phone. Open the page and start.
How often can I use it? Is there a daily limit?
On the free plan you get 5 tool runs a day. When you reach the limit you'll see a prompt to upgrade, and it resets the next day. Vootkit Pro removes the cap entirely for unlimited daily use.
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This tool processes everything locally in your browser. You can disconnect from the internet after the page loads and it will still work.