Redact PDF — Free, No Upload, No Sign Up
Remove text and images permanently — right in your browser.
Drop a PDF here or click to upload
Files stay on your device. Max 50 MB.
Need to fill a PDF form?
Fill PDF forms online — free, no sign up
Type directly into AcroForm fields and download the completed PDF. Your data never leaves your device.
Popular redaction scenarios
Redact Bank Statement
Permanently remove account numbers, transaction details, names and addresses from bank statement PDFs. Free, in your browser, no upload.
Redact SSN
Remove Social Security Numbers from any PDF permanently. Search by SSN pattern or draw boxes. Browser-based, no upload, no sign-up.
Redact Medical Records
Remove PHI from medical record PDFs: names, DOB, MRN, diagnoses, provider info. True redaction in browser, no upload.
Redact Email Addresses
Find and permanently remove every email address in a PDF with pattern search. True redaction in your browser, no upload, no sign-up.
Redact Legal Documents
Redact court filings, contracts and discovery documents correctly: SSNs, account numbers, minors' names, DOBs. True redaction in your browser, no upload.
Redact for FOIA
Prepare documents for FOIA and public records release: remove personal data under privacy exemptions. True redaction in your browser, no upload.
Learn
How to redact a PDF properly (and why black boxes fail)
Famous redaction leaks, the attacker's checklist for testing any redacted file, and the full sanitization checklist — with an interactive demo you can try right on the page.
Why black marker redaction doesn't work
Marker on paper shows through; black boxes in PDFs leave the text copyable. Every marker failure explained — and what works instead.
We tested 8 redaction tools — 5 left data in the file
The same test document through eight free tools, checked with an independent parser: what leaked into the metadata, what got rasterised instead, and where our own tool failed.
Frequently asked questions
How does PlainFile redact PDFs?▼
PlainFile runs MuPDF inside your browser as WebAssembly. When you apply redactions, it removes the selected text, images and metadata from the actual PDF bytes, then re-verifies that nothing extractable remains.
Do my files leave my device?▼
No. The PDF is loaded into browser memory and processed locally. No bytes are uploaded to any server.
Is the redaction reversible?▼
No. Once you download the redacted file, the removed content is gone from the document. Keep a backup of the original if you may need it later.
What can I redact?▼
You can draw manual rectangles, search for a term, or use preset patterns (SSN, email, phone, credit card). Each match becomes a permanent redaction region.
Is there a file size limit?▼
Currently the tool is tested up to roughly 50 MB and ~200 pages. Larger files may work but are not guaranteed.
Can I use it offline?▼
Yes. After the page loads once, the WASM engine and worker are cached. You can disconnect from the internet and keep redacting.