Is this tool actually free?
Yes. It is a utility we built because we needed it ourselves. There are no paywalls, watermarks, or "pro" versions.
Stop uploading your secrets to strangers.
Most online PDF tools upload your files to their servers. Why take that risk?
Just Redact is a secure, client-side PDF redaction tool. It runs 100% in your browser. Your financial, legal, and medical documents never leave your computer.
Start Redacting Now
Free. No account needed.
The "Black Box" Problem
Have you ever used a PDF editor to put a black box over some text, only to realize later that someone could just copy-paste the text from underneath it?
It happens constantly. Lawyers leak evidence. Companies leak trade secrets. Simply placing a shape on top of text isn't redaction. It's just hiding.
True redaction requires flattening—converting the page into an image so the text data is permanently destroyed.
The Other Guys
- ✕ Upload your file to a cloud server (who knows who sees it?)
- ✕ Often just "mask" text without removing it.
- ✕ Pester you to sign up or pay to download.
Just Redact
- ✓ Local-Only Processing. Zero server uploads.
- ✓ True Flattening. We burn pixels over text.
- ✓ Purely Web-Based. Works on any modern browser.
How it works
1
Open your file locally
Click "Open PDF" to load your document. The processing happens inside your browser's memory. You could literally pull your ethernet cable out at this point, and the tool would still work.
2
Redact with confidence
Use the Draw tool to manually box out images or tables. Use the Select Text tool to highlight and redact exact sentences.
3
Export and flatten
When you click Export, we don't just save the PDF; we "flatten" it. We convert every page into a secure image, ensuring the data under your red boxes is physically destroyed and unrecoverable.
"It’s just a simple tool that does one thing perfectly."
Select text to redact it instantly, or draw boxes manually. When you export, we convert the page to a high-quality image, destroying the underlying data forever.
Common Questions
Does my file get uploaded to a server?
No. This is the most important feature of Just Redact. We use advanced browser technologies (WebAssembly) to process your PDF entirely on your own device. You can even disconnect from the internet after loading the page, and it will still work.
Is the redacted text recoverable?
No. When you click "Export," we convert each page into a high-resolution image (rasterization). The text you covered is physically replaced by black pixels. It cannot be uncovered, searched, or copy-pasted.
Ready to secure your document?
Launch Just RedactSecure. Private. Free.