How to Whiteout or Redact Text in a PDF (Free)

Sometimes you need to cover a typo, hide an old address, or black out sensitive details before sharing a document. Here's how — and an important warning about the difference between covering text and truly removing it.

Whiteout in the browser

1. Open the file in the PDF editor.
2. Choose the Box tool and drag a rectangle over the text you want to cover.
3. Keep the fill white to blank it out, or pick black to create a redaction bar.
4. Type replacement text on top with the Text tool if needed.
5. Download the result.

Whiteout vs. true redaction — read this

This is critical for privacy:

• Whiteout / cover boxes place a shape on top of the text. Visually the text is hidden, and after you flatten the file it won't be selectable. For most everyday needs this is fine.
• True redaction permanently deletes the underlying text and metadata from the file's structure. Government and legal workflows often require this.

If you're hiding highly sensitive data (SSNs, medical records) that must never be recoverable, a simple cover box is not enough on its own — use a dedicated redaction tool that removes the underlying content, and always verify the exported file.

Make covers permanent

Always download with Flatten enabled. Flattening merges your boxes into the page so the hidden text underneath can't be revealed by selecting or copying.

Related

• Need to brand a document instead of hiding text? See how to add a watermark to a PDF.
• Covering a mistake and retyping? Combine this with adding text to a PDF.

Open the editor to whiteout or redact your PDF free.