Edit PDF
Local Processing · Opaque Cover Boxes

PDF
Redactor

Draw opaque boxes over selected PDF areas and download a visibly marked copy.

Drop your PDF here

Draw opaque cover boxes over selected areas, then download the marked PDF

Draw to Redact

Click and drag on any page to draw a redaction box. Remove it before applying if needed.

Visual cover

The tool adds opaque rectangles but does not remove underlying PDF objects. Do not use it as a secure redaction workflow.

Local Processing

Redaction runs locally in your browser with pdf-lib without an application document-processing request.

Before you start

Verified facts

Check access, supported files, limits, and processing before choosing a document.

Free

The core task does not require an account.

This browser tool places opaque rectangles over selected PDF areas. It does not remove underlying text, images, metadata, or other PDF objects, so it is a visual-marking tool rather than a secure content-removal workflow.

Price
Free — no account needed
Account
Not required
Processing
Processed locally in your browser, including rule-based pattern detection
Formats
PDF
File limit
No fixed application limit; practical capacity depends on browser memory and device performance
Browser support
Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
Clear, practical guidance

What does this PDF redaction marker do?

PDF Redactor is a browser-based tool that lets you place opaque cover boxes over selected PDF areas. Choose PDF, use the controls above to configure the result, then download or use the resulting PDF. The core workflow runs locally in your browser without an application document-processing request. See formats, limits, and processing.

This browser tool places opaque rectangles over areas you select and saves those marks into a new PDF copy. The implementation does not remove underlying text, images, metadata, or other PDF objects, so the output must not be treated as securely redacted.

Use the tool for visible covering or review markup. For confidential, legal, regulatory, or public-release documents, use a verified content-removing redaction workflow and inspect the final file before sharing it.

Practical examples

Common ways people use this tool in real documents and day-to-day workflows.

Document reviewers

Mark areas that need attention or removal before a separate, verified redaction workflow.

Design and layout teams

Create a visibly covered review copy when testing how redaction bars affect a page layout.

Teachers and trainers

Hide answer areas in a visual practice copy that is not used to protect confidential information.

Personal document users

Cover non-sensitive details in a visual copy while keeping the original file unchanged.

At a glance

Focused workflow

Place opaque cover boxes over selected PDF areas.

Supported workflow

Accepts PDF and produces PDF. No fixed application limit; practical capacity depends on browser memory and device performance

Access and processing

Core tool with browser-based document processing.

Three simple steps

How it works

  1. 1

    Upload your PDF

    Select the PDF on which you want to place visible opaque marks.

  2. 2

    Draw and review cover boxes

    Draw boxes over selected areas and inspect every page. Pattern matching can suggest supported text patterns, but it is not AI and may miss content.

  3. 3

    Apply and download

    Apply the boxes and download the visibly marked copy. Use a separate verified redaction tool when underlying data must be removed.

Know before you upload

Formats, limits & privacy

Confirm that your file is supported and understand how this tool handles document data.

Input formats
PDF
Output formats
PDF
File limit
No fixed application limit; practical capacity depends on browser memory and device performance
Privacy & security

Adding cover boxes, including rule-based pattern detection, runs locally in your browser without an application document-processing request. The tool does not remove underlying PDF objects.

Optional comparison

PDF Redactor vs. doing it manually

Open this comparison if you are deciding between the browser workflow and a manual process.

Compare the workflows
Doing it manually

Cover sensitive text with a black box in an image editor, one page at a time.

With PDF Redactor

Draw and apply cover boxes across the whole document in one workflow.

Doing it manually

Manually scan every page for emails and phone numbers to cover.

With PDF Redactor

Optional pattern matching can suggest common formats like emails and phone numbers for you to review.

Doing it manually

Assume a black box actually deleted the content underneath.

With PDF Redactor

The tool is explicit that boxes cover, not delete — so you know to use a verified redaction tool for confidential release.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

Does this tool permanently remove the covered content?
No. It draws opaque rectangles into a new PDF copy but does not remove underlying text, images, metadata, or other PDF objects. Use dedicated, verified redaction software for confidential disclosure.
Does AI decide what to cover?
No. The optional scanner uses local pattern-matching rules for supported formats such as email addresses and phone numbers. You must review the page and choose every area yourself.
Does it securely redact scanned PDFs?
No. A box can visually cover part of a scanned page, but the tool does not remove the underlying image data. Use a verified image-redaction workflow when pixels must be removed.
Can I place a box over images as well as text?
Yes. You can draw an opaque box over any visible page area, including an image, but the original PDF object may remain in the file.
Is the selected PDF sent to a document-processing route?
No. The cover-box workflow runs locally in your browser without an application document-processing request.
Can I resize or move a cover box after drawing it?
Yes. Adjust the position and size of any cover box before applying it, and review every page in the preview.
Learn more

Guides & real-world workflows

Step-by-step guides

How to cover PDF content and verify sensitive data removal

Common use cases

Redact Sensitive Info From a PDF Before You Share ItRedact a PDF Before Sharing Protected Health Information
Used in workflows for: Freelancers · Legal Professionals · Healthcare Teams
All role workflows →
Core PDF tool

Ready to use PDF Redactor?

Place opaque cover boxes over selected PDF areas Return to the tool above to choose your file, or browse the complete PDF toolkit for another task.

Use PDF RedactorBrowse all PDF tools