PDF Bench

Burn-in redaction for safer sharing

Use Redact when sensitive text or areas need to be permanently removed. PDF Bench burns in your redactions by rebuilding each page as an image, so the text underneath is actually gone — not just covered.

Best for

Removing names, account numbers, or addresses before sharing.
Preparing legal or compliance submissions with sensitive data removed.
Publishing records where covered text needs to be truly destroyed, not just hidden.

How to use this tool

Upload a PDF and choose a page from the thumbnail list.
Draw, move, and resize redaction boxes on each page as needed.
Download the redacted file and review the safety checklist.

Choose this tool when

The problem is visible on the page and needs to be permanently removed, not merely covered.
You need a safer alternative to drawing black boxes in a general editor.
The file is leaving your control and the hidden underlying text cannot stay behind.

Use a different tool when

The document only needs hidden metadata cleanup. Use Sanitize.
You are just labeling a draft or review copy. Use Watermark.
The task is page order cleanup, extraction, or merging rather than content removal.

Limitations and notes

Redacted output is usually not searchable or selectable, since pages become images.
Higher DPI means better quality but larger files and longer processing.
Always check every page before sharing — redaction is only as good as your review.

Before you start drawing redactions

Scroll the document once to spot repeated names, headers, and footers that appear on more than one page.
Decide whether the file also needs metadata cleanup after the visible content is removed.
Pick a DPI that balances quality and file size for the way the document will be used.

What redaction doesn't cover on its own

Hidden metadata, attachments, and extras that live outside the visible page — run Sanitize for those.
A filename that reveals the very thing you just removed from the document.
Forgetting to review the final file before sharing it — always open the download and check.

FAQ

Is drawing a black box enough?

In most PDF editors, no — the text underneath can still be copied out. PDF Bench uses burn-in redaction, which rebuilds each page as an image so the original text is destroyed, not just covered.

Should I sanitize after redaction?

You can. The redaction export already rasterizes content, but sanitize can be an extra verification step.

How should I verify the output?

Open the downloaded file in a separate viewer, zoom in near each redaction, and try selecting or copying nearby text before you send it.

Why does the output stop being searchable?

Because burn-in redaction rebuilds pages as images. That is part of how the underlying text gets removed rather than simply hidden.

Related guides and next steps

How to redact a PDF safely: A workflow guide for checking the output before it leaves your hands.
Redaction checklist: Run a quick review pass before you send or publish the finished file.
Sanitize metadata: Clean hidden metadata from the redacted output if the sharing risk is higher.

How to redact a PDF safely · Redaction checklist · Sanitize metadata