Frequently asked questions
Answers about how Redactor handles your files, what true redaction means, and how permanent it is. For step-by-step instructions, see the Help page.
What is true PDF redaction?
True redaction permanently removes sensitive content from a PDF so it cannot be recovered, not just hidden on screen. Many tools only draw a black rectangle on top, leaving the original text and images recoverable underneath. Redactor physically deletes marked content from the file bytes when you save.
Does my PDF get uploaded to Redactor?
No. Your PDF never leaves your device. All viewing, redacting, and saving happens entirely in your browser with no server upload.
How is Redactor different from a black box overlay?
A black rectangle drawn on top of a page leaves the original content fully recoverable. Redactor uses true redaction that physically removes text runs, vector paths, and image data inside each marked region from the PDF byte stream.
Do I need an account to redact a PDF?
No account is required. Open your PDF on the home screen, mark content for redaction, and download a separate filename-redacted.pdf copy. Your original file is never modified.
Is redaction permanent?
Yes. Once you confirm Save, marked content is physically deleted from the downloaded file and cannot be undone. Always verify the output before sharing sensitive documents.
Can I redact PDFs on a phone or tablet?
Yes. Redactor includes a touch-friendly mobile editor with Move, Redact, Select, and Save controls. On smaller screens the toolbar sits in a two-row dock at the bottom for easier use.
Does redaction also remove hidden metadata?
Redactor removes the content you mark from the visible page: text, images, and vector data underneath your boxes. If a document also contains sensitive document metadata, such as author name, comments, or revision history, review the file's properties separately, since redacting page content does not rewrite unrelated metadata fields.
Does Redactor work offline?
Once the page has loaded, redaction itself does not depend on a network connection, because the PDF is opened, edited, and saved entirely in your browser. You do need an initial connection to load the site.
Is Redactor free to use?
Yes. Redactor is free to use in your browser, with no account, watermark, or page limit tied to redaction itself.
What file types does Redactor support?
Redactor works with PDF files. If a PDF is password-protected, you will be prompted to enter the password locally in your browser before it can be opened.