How to redact a PDF so it cannot be undone

Draw a Redact box over the secret in Gold PDF and save. Every redacted page is rebuilt without the original text, and document metadata is cleared, so a black box is a real redaction.

How to do it in 3 steps

Mark it. Choose Redact (R) and drag over each name, number or image.
Review. Redactions show as black bars with a RED label; Undo if you slip.
Save. Pages with redactions are rebuilt and the file is swept of old content and metadata.

Why Gold PDF

True removal — the redacted words are gone from the text layer, not hidden under a box.
Metadata cleared — title and author are removed.
Works on scans — recognise text, then redact.
Free and offline.

Questions

Is a black rectangle a redaction?

No. A rectangle only covers text. Gold PDF rebuilds the page so the covered text is not in the saved file.

What stays searchable?

Everything you did not redact.

Should I re-open the saved file to check?

Yes. Press Ctrl+F in the saved file and search for the redacted word.

Gold PDF — the free PDF editor for Windows

Edit text, redact for real, OCR scans, fill forms, sign and protect. Offline, no account, no watermark.

Download free