How can I redact text in a PDF using Acrobat Pro?

Open your PDF in Acrobat Pro. Go to 'All tools' > 'Redact a PDF' > 'Redact text and images'. Drag your mouse over the text you want to hide. Click 'Apply' and save the document. Remember to sanitize it too.

Preserve Confidentiality in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

2 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Create a one-page progress summary about [client=Naomi Brooks] for her family, redact clinical…+

Create a one-page progress summary about [client=Naomi Brooks] for her family, redact clinical details that should stay confidential, and share the PDF with her approved family contacts by [deadline=Wednesday].

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

BImprove — “do it better”Prepare the family summary so relatives don't see sensitive diagnoses or therapy details — open…+

Prepare the family summary so relatives don't see sensitive diagnoses or therapy details — open with current functioning and strengths, list specific ways family can help, redact psychometric scores and provider-only notes, and add a short note explaining why items were redacted before sending to approved contacts.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open the PDF you want to redact in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
2
Go to the Tools panel and select Redact a PDF.
Best practiceIf you do not see 'Redact a PDF,' click 'View more' to expand the list of tools.
3
Use your cursor to select the text or images you want to redact.
CautionRedacted content is permanently removed after applying redactions; double-check your selections.
4
Click Apply to permanently remove the selected content.
NoteYou may be prompted to save a copy of the document after applying redactions.
5
Save the redacted PDF with a new file name.
Best practiceSaving a new copy preserves your original unredacted document.

In the appWith the API

You can preview all redaction marks before applying them to ensure nothing is missed.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

Glossary

words on this page

RedactTo hide or remove sensitive information from a document.ExampleYou redact the social security number before sharing the report with others.

SanitizeTo remove sensitive or private information from a document before sharing it.ExampleRemember to sanitize the document by redacting personal details before sharing it publicly.

MetadataMetadata is hidden information about a file, such as who created it or when it was changed.ExampleChecking a photo's metadata reveals the camera model and the exact date it was taken.

Who does this

3 roles

ParalegalCompliance OfficerRecords Manager

FAQ

about this task

Open your PDF in Acrobat Pro.
Go to 'All tools' > 'Redact a PDF' > 'Redact text and images'.
Drag your mouse over the text you want to hide.
Click 'Apply' and save the document. Remember to sanitize it too.

Sanitizing a PDF after redaction is important because redaction only removes visible content. Hidden data, like metadata, layers, or revision history, can still be in the file. Sanitizing removes this extra hidden information, making sure no sensitive data is left behind. This provides a higher level of security for your confidential documents.

If your PDF has many account numbers or other personal information (PII), you should use the pattern-based auto-redaction feature in Acrobat Pro. This tool can find and redact all matching patterns automatically. After using it, have a colleague check a few random parts of the document to make sure everything was hidden correctly. This saves time and improves accuracy for large documents.

Yes, you can redact both text and images in a PDF using Acrobat Pro. The redaction tool allows you to select any visible content, whether it's words or pictures, and permanently remove it. This ensures that all sensitive visual information is hidden from view.

It is important to verify redaction by searching and copying content because sometimes redaction might not work as expected. If you only draw a black box, the text might still be recoverable underneath. By trying to search for the sensitive terms or copy-pasting the supposedly hidden content, you can confirm that the information is truly gone and not just covered up. This step helps prevent accidental leaks of confidential data.

Preserve Confidentiality

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

Video

Other guides

When it fails