How to Redact PDF? Hide Sensitive Information from PDF

In today’s day and age, when every document has become digital, sensitive data and private information concern users. This is why they look for ways to hide confidential data. 

However, considering digital documents are easier to leak and spread, keeping things secure is hard to crack. If you too worry about hiding sensitive information, especially in a PDF, redaction might help!

However, the real question is how to redact a PDF. Is it possible to redact the file with just any PDF viewer, or are there any specific tools for it? Let’s find out in this post! 

What is PDF Redaction?

Before identifying how to redact a PDF, let us understand what it is.

PDF redaction is blacking out sensitive data and information from the document. You can leave a mark stating that the data in the field is hidden, or you can make it appear empty. Either way, your personal information stays intact, as redaction will conceal sensitive information from PDFs.

As per the user’s selection, the process hides information in the document, allowing the user to sigh in relief. It can be called the modern-day digital guard for sensitive information. 

Ways to Redact PDF – 3 Methods

Now that you know what PDF redact is all about, let us look at 3 ways you can do so. 

Method 1 – Use Systweak PDF Editor

If you are looking for an easy and direct way to redact your PDF and hide sensitive information from the document, Systweak PDF Editor is the solution. The tool offers tons of operations that you can apply to a PDF to edit it as per your needs, redaction being one of them. 

Here’s how you can redact a PDF using the Systweak PDF Editor –

Step 1 – Open the document you want to redact with the PDF editor tool by Systweak. You can launch the file directly with the editor or open the application first and then open your PDF by browsing through it.
Step 2 – Once you have opened the file, go to the Secure tab at the top of the Window.
Step 3 – Click Mark for Redaction options > you will get an option to select the content you want to hide.
Step 4 – Mark the lines you want to redact and Click on Apply Redaction.
Step 5 – Save the changes made, and you can see that the information is no longer visible. 

Download Systweak PDF Editor today and start editing, merging, compressing, converting, protecting, e-signing, annotating, and making changes to your PDF.

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Method 2 – Redact a Document Using Online Tools

Another way to Redact a document is by using different online tools. You can find multiple tools that allow you to use the Redact feature. The way these tools work is simple – 

Step 1 – Upload the document you want to redact by browsing the files or using the drag-and-drop feature.
Step 2 – Open the document and mark the content you want to redact. The tool instantly helps you hide sensitive information from PDFs, covering it with solid blocks of colors.
Step 3 – Once you have made the changes, click on save and download the document. 

You can perform this three-step process from anywhere worldwide, but what about data privacy? 

Think about it. As you aim to hide the information from others, you upload it onto an external unknown server without knowing if the platform saves your files.

Also, to use these tools, you need smooth internet connectivity. This means if you are in a no-network zone or the connectivity is poor, you cannot work and use the features these tools offer. 

Method 3 – Redacting Files Using MS Word

Yes, you can Redact your file using MS Word. It is not a direct redaction. However, it can help you hide information and make things work.
Here’s how – 

Step 1 – Right click on the PDF you want to redact and open it with Word.

Step 2 – The application will prompt you to convert the PDF into a Word document. Click yes and wait for the document to open.

Step 3 – Once the document is edited, select the content you want to hide and choose the highlight option from the available tools.
Step 4 – Ensure that the color of the highlight chosen is black and matches the color of the text in the document. This way, the entire block will be hidden.

Step 5 – Repeat the process for all the blocks of information you want to hide.
Step 6 – Save the file and export it as a PDF.

Voila! Your file is now redacted and ready to share. However, as it is not a proper redaction, this also has downsides. 

1. The structure of the document is grabbled. The structure is compromised as the PDF is converted to a Word doc.
2. As you highlight the text and redact it, you cannot undo it. The information is also useless to you, beating the point of redaction in the first place.

Systweak PDF Editor: The Best Way to Redact PDFs Instantly!

If you plan to redact PDFs and hide sensitive information, Systweak PDF Editor is the ultimate choice. The best part is that the tool is a complete package with many features to help you edit PDF documents. 

Download the tool today and experience PDFs like never before! Thanks for reading the blog. We hope you find it helpful. Also, if you use other ways to redact PDFs, share in the comments so that others can benefit from them! 

Good Luck!

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