Help Center › Windows › Security
Redact sensitive content
Permanently black out text, images or any area so the content cannot be recovered.
Applies to Windows 10 or later
Redaction permanently removes content from a PDF. The blacked-out area cannot be recovered, even by copying the text or examining the file structure. Use it to hide personal information, confidential data or anything you do not want to share.
Redact an area
- Choose the Redact tool from the Security group.
- Draw rectangles over the areas to redact.
- Click Apply redactions.
Redact text by search
You can find all occurrences of a word or phrase and redact them all at once:
- Open the Redact tool and look for the Search & Redact option.
- Type the text to find. All matches are marked with red boxes.
- Review the matches, then tap/click Apply redactions.
Difference between Redact and Erase Text
| Redact | Erase Text | |
|---|---|---|
| Content removed | Yes — permanently | No — only covered visually |
| Recoverable | No | Yes (the content is still in the file) |
| Use for | Personal data, confidential info | Simple visual corrections |
Use Redact whenever you need to share the document and the hidden content must not be recoverable.
After redacting, consider also clearing the document metadata under Tools › Edit Metadata to remove author name and other identifying information.