PDF Redaction Tool for Journalists — Protect Sources & Documents Free
Journalists must protect source identities and handle sensitive leaked or obtained documents with care.
Start Redacting for Free →Why Journalists Use Our Free PDF Redactor
Journalists must protect source identities and handle sensitive leaked or obtained documents with care. Our free browser-based PDF redactor permanently removes identifying information from documents — no uploads to any server, no trace of your activity.
- Redact source names and identifying details from documents before publishing
- Remove metadata-revealing information from obtained documents before distribution
- Sanitize personally identifying information from documents shared with editors or co-reporters
- Protect whistleblower identities in documents shared for verification purposes
How to Redact PDFs — 3 Simple Steps
Open Your PDF
Select your PDF file. It opens entirely in your browser — never uploaded to any server.
Mark Content to Redact
Draw boxes over areas to redact, or use Search & Redact to find patterns like SSNs, phone numbers, or emails across all pages.
Download Redacted PDF
Download your permanently redacted PDF instantly. Sensitive content is deleted — not just hidden.
Key Features
🔒 Your Files Never Leave Your Device
Unlike tools that upload your PDFs to remote servers, our tool processes everything locally in your browser using WebAssembly. No server ever sees your documents — not even us. This makes it one of the most private PDF tools available, completely free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this tool log or retain any information about documents I process?
No — everything happens in your browser. No data is transmitted to any server, and nothing is logged or retained.
Can I redact handwriting or signatures in a scanned document?
Yes — use the draw redaction box tool to cover any area including handwriting, signatures, or images.
Is this appropriate for handling sensitive obtained documents?
Yes — browser-only processing means no server ever sees your documents. This is one of the most privacy-preserving approaches available for free tools.
Is this PDF redactor completely free?
Yes, 100% free. No account needed, no watermarks, no file size limits. All processing happens in your browser.
Are my files safe and private?
Absolutely. Your PDFs never leave your device. All redaction happens locally in your browser using WebAssembly — we never see your files.
What is the difference between redaction and drawing a black box?
True redaction permanently removes the underlying text data from the PDF file. Our tool uses MuPDF to ensure sensitive content is deleted from the file structure, not just hidden visually.
Ready to Redact Your PDFs?
Free, instant, private — no account or software required.
Start Redacting for Free →