How to Black Out Text in a PDF
Blacking out text in a PDF only protects anything if the text under the black box is deleted from the file. A rectangle drawn with an annotation or shape tool covers the text but leaves it selectable, searchable and one click from being revealed. Use a redaction tool instead: the free PDF Redaction tool removes the text and pixels, then draws the black (or white) box as a marker, all in your browser.
This guide explains the difference, shows the steps for the free tool, Acrobat and Preview, and lists the ways people accidentally leak "blacked-out" text.
Black box vs. redaction
| Drawn black box | Real redaction | |
|---|---|---|
| Text under the box | Still in the file | Deleted |
| Select / copy | Works | Nothing to select |
| Search | Finds the text | No match |
| Remove the box in an editor | Reveals the text | Reveals nothing |
| Metadata | Untouched | Cleared |
Public examples surface every year: court filings, government releases and corporate documents where a black box was deleted or the text was copied out from underneath. The fix is always the same: redact, then verify.
Method 1: black out text with the free online tool
Steps
Upload the PDF
Drag the file into the free PDF Redaction tool. It is processed in your browser and not stored on a server.
Mark the text to black out
Keep the AI highlights for personal data, search for specific words, or click and drag with the rectangle tool over any text or image area.
Choose black or white boxes
In the export options pick black fill for a visible, court-style blackout or white fill for a clean look in reports. Either way the content underneath is deleted.
Download
The text runs and image pixels under each box are removed from the file, the page is flattened and metadata is cleared. The box you see is only a marker.
Check that the black box is real
Press Ctrl+A (Cmd+A) in a viewer; nothing under the boxes should be selectable. Then open the file in the free redaction checker.
Text is deleted from the file, not covered. Free for up to 25 pages per document.
Method 2: Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Tools → Redact, then Mark for Redaction (or Find Text & Redact).
- Click Apply and confirm. The default appearance is a black box; you can change fill colour or add overlay text such as "Redacted" in the redaction properties.
- Run Sanitize Document to remove metadata and hidden content.
- Save as a new file.
Do not use the Rectangle or Highlight comment tools with black fill; they are annotations and can be deleted by the recipient.
Method 3: macOS Preview
Preview on macOS Big Sur or later has a real Tools → Redact option that draws a black box and removes the text. The older Rectangle shape with black fill from the Markup toolbar is not a redaction. Preview cannot read scanned pages and does not clean metadata.
Things that look like a blackout but are not
- A highlighter set to black.
- A shape in Word, Google Docs or PowerPoint exported to PDF.
- Text colour changed to black on a black background.
- A comment box with opaque fill.
- A blurred or pixelated image region.
Check that your redaction actually worked
Before you send a redacted PDF anywhere, open it in our free checker to confirm no hidden text, layers or metadata can be recovered.
Quick summary
- Upload the PDF to PDF Redaction.
- Mark the text: AI highlights, search, or draw boxes.
- Choose black or white fill.
- Download; the content is deleted from the file.
- Check that nothing is selectable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does drawing a black rectangle over text redact it?
No. A rectangle, highlight or shape is an annotation placed on top of the page. The text underneath remains in the file and can be selected, copied, searched or revealed by deleting the shape.
How do I black out text in a PDF for free?
Upload the PDF to the free PDF Redaction tool, mark the text, choose black fill and download. The text is deleted, not covered. No account is required for documents up to 25 pages.
Can I black out text in Adobe Reader?
Adobe Reader can draw shapes, which is not redaction. Real blackout requires Acrobat Pro's Redact tool or another redaction tool.
Black box or white box: which should I use?
Both are permanent when the content is removed. Black boxes signal clearly that something was redacted, which legal and government recipients often expect. White boxes look cleaner but can hide the fact that a redaction happened.
How do I white out text in a PDF?
Use the same redaction workflow and choose white fill on export. Do not use a "white out" or eraser annotation tool: those cover the text without removing it.
Can blacked-out text be recovered?
If the text was removed by a redaction tool, no. If it was only covered, yes, in seconds. Check with a redaction checker before sharing.
Related guides
How to Permanently Redact a PDF (Not Just Black Boxes)
Permanent PDF redaction deletes the text, image pixels and metadata from the file. Learn what a real redaction changes, how to do it with a free tool or Acrobat, and how to prove it worked.
How to Redact Text in a PDF (Every Instance, Automatically)
Redact specific words, names or numbers from a PDF and catch every occurrence: AI detection by data type, search-and-redact for exact terms, and manual boxes for the rest. With Acrobat steps and verification.
How to Check If a PDF Is Properly Redacted (Unredact Test)
Three quick tests to check whether a redacted PDF still hides recoverable text, layers or metadata, plus how to fix a failed redaction before you share the file.