Redact a PDF properly — permanently remove sensitive text
Black out sensitive information so it can't be recovered. Unlike a drawn rectangle, NestPDF rasterises each redacted page so the hidden text and images are genuinely destroyed — not just covered. Everything happens in your browser.
How to use it
- 1Drop your PDF into the box above.
- 2Draw boxes over the text or images you need to hide.
- 3NestPDF flattens the affected pages to an image so the data underneath is permanently removed.
- 4Download your safely redacted PDF.
Questions about this tool
Isn't drawing a black box enough?
No — and this is the most common, dangerous mistake. A black rectangle drawn over text still has the text underneath; anyone can copy or extract it. NestPDF rasterises the page so the content is actually gone.
Can the redacted text be recovered?
No. Once a page is rasterised, the redacted area is just pixels of solid colour — there is no underlying text or image left to recover.
Why do the redacted pages become images?
Rendering the page to an image is what guarantees the data is destroyed. It's a deliberate trade-off: the redacted pages lose selectable text in exchange for genuine security.
Is my document uploaded?
No. Redaction runs entirely in your browser, which matters most for sensitive files.