Real redaction removes the underlying text, not just hides it behind a black box. PDF Cubby finds the words you specify and destroys them in the file itself, so they can't be copied out or recovered. Download the clean version — with nothing kept afterward.
How to redact a PDF
Add your PDFChoose the document with sensitive content.
Enter what to removeType the words, names, or numbers to redact.
RedactThe matching text is permanently destroyed in the file, not just covered.
DownloadDownload the redacted PDF. It's gone from our side the moment you do.
What you can do
- Remove account or card numbers before sharing
- Strip names or addresses from a document
- Redact privileged text from legal files
- Take out patient details from medical paperwork
- Clean credentials or secrets from a report
What happens to your file
Your files are never stored. Nothing is parked, queued, or kept — the moment your download is ready, it's gone, and no one ever sees it.
Plenty of online tools store your file on their servers and delete it later. PDF Cubby doesn't keep it at all — there's nothing left behind to clean up afterward.
Features
- Destroys the text — not a black box you can copy under
- Search-and-redact every match across the file
- Verifiable — the words are truly gone from the output
- 5 free a day — unlimited with Pro ($4.99/mo, cancel anytime)
- Never stored — nothing kept afterward
Tips
- A black rectangle in most editors only covers text — this removes it for real.
- Redact before you password-protect or share the file.
- Double-check the download: the redacted words should be gone even when you search the text.
- A black box is not redaction. How to redact a PDF properly shows why, and how to verify it worked.
Frequently asked questions
- Are my files kept after redacting?
- No. Your document — the most sensitive version of it — is never stored. The instant your redacted file is ready, everything is gone and no one sees it.
- Is this different from drawing a black box?
- Completely. A black box in most editors just sits on top of the text, which can still be copied or recovered. This removes the underlying text from the file itself.
- Can the redacted text be recovered?
- No — it's destroyed in the output, so it can't be copied out, searched, or restored.
- Can I redact several things at once?
- Yes. Enter each word, name, or number and every match across the document is removed.
- Does it change the rest of the document?
- No — only the text you specify is removed; everything else, including the other pages, stays intact.
- Do I need an account?
- You get 5 free uses a day with no account. For unlimited use, sign in and upgrade to Pro — $4.99/month, cancel anytime. The 6 core tools (merge, split, extract, rotate, compress, convert) are always free and unlimited.
- Is my original changed?
- Never — you download a new redacted file and the source stays as it was.