What is the difference between Sanitize Document and Redact a PDF?

Feature What it removes. Sanitize Document Hidden data (metadata, comments, scripts, attachments) Redact a PDF Visible text and images

How do I remove all hidden data from my PDF using Sanitize Document?

Open your PDF in Acrobat. Go to 'All tools' > 'Redact a PDF' > 'Sanitize document'. Click 'Remove all' to clean the file. This makes sure no hidden information remains.

What types of hidden content does Sanitize Document remove from a PDF?

Metadata (like author and creation date) Embedded content and scripts Comments and bookmarks Attachments and form fields AI content (if present)

◆ Acrobat · protect

Metadata Revealed Client

We tried to reuse contract exhibits for marketing and someone later identified the client from hidden metadata. Across…

1ready prompt

1real task

3roles

See the prompt↓More protect workflows

When to use it

real situations

You are sending a legal document and need to remove all client names from the file's hidden data.
You want to share a draft report and ensure no old comments or author details are visible.
You are publishing a public document and must strip out all internal notes and metadata for privacy.

AI prompts

1 way to ask · copy any one

DBecome — “help me grow”We tried to reuse contract exhibits for marketing and someone later identified the client from…+

We tried to reuse contract exhibits for marketing and someone later identified the client from hidden metadata. Across our document reuse, where are we failing to sanitize files—visible content, metadata, or linked references? Recommend a two-step redaction and metadata-scrub habit and a lightweight review checklist the design team can use before any external sample is released. I want something practical the studio will accept, not legal theatre.

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 file you want to sanitize in Adobe Acrobat.
2
Go to the Tools pane and select Protect.
3
In the Protect toolbar, click Sanitize.
4
When prompted, confirm that you want to remove hidden information by clicking OK or Sanitize.
5
Save the sanitized PDF to preserve the changes.
Best practiceBlog sources recommend saving a backup copy of your original PDF before sanitizing, as this process is irreversible.

In the appWith the API

After sanitizing, review your document to ensure all sensitive hidden data has been removed as intended.

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

Glossary

words on this page

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.

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.

RedactionRedaction is the permanent removal of visible sensitive information from a document.ExampleThe redaction of personal names ensures privacy for all individuals mentioned in the report.

Who does this

3 roles

Legal AssistantCompliance OfficerRecords Manager

FAQ

about this task

Feature	What it removes
Sanitize Document	Hidden data (metadata, comments, scripts, attachments)
Redact a PDF	Visible text and images

Open your PDF in Acrobat.
Go to 'All tools' > 'Redact a PDF' > 'Sanitize document'.
Click 'Remove all' to clean the file. This makes sure no hidden information remains.

It is very important to use Sanitize Document because redaction only hides visible text and images. Your PDF can still contain hidden information like author names, comments, or attachments, which can reveal private details. Sanitize Document removes this invisible layer of data, ensuring full privacy and compliance. This two-step process (redact then sanitize) gives you real security.

Metadata (like author and creation date)
Embedded content and scripts
Comments and bookmarks
Attachments and form fields
AI content (if present)

No, Sanitize Document only removes hidden information. It does not remove visible text or images that contain sensitive data. For visible sensitive text, you need to use the 'Redact a PDF' tool first. Always use both tools together to ensure both hidden and visible sensitive information is removed from your document.