pdfpix

PDF privacy help

A PDF can reveal information in two places: on the page and in data around the page. Redaction removes page content. Metadata removal clears author names, software, dates and attachments. These guides keep the jobs separate, show how false redactions fail, and point to the browser tool that handles each one without uploading the file.

Redact PDF

Start with what has to disappear

A name, account number or photograph printed on a page needs PDF redaction. Drawing a dark box is not enough, because the original text or image can remain below it. The redaction guide covers the complete pass: mark the content, rebuild the affected page, then inspect the written file rather than trusting its appearance.

An author field, creation date, exporter name or embedded attachment needs PDF metadata removal instead. The metadata guide lists the places to inspect and explains why clearing the document properties dialog alone can leave a second XMP copy behind.

Check a file you did not make

A black mark proves only that the page looks covered. Redaction check looks for supported dark vector covers and reports selectable text below them. It also lists metadata, annotation text, attachments and optional layers for manual review.

The result has a limit. Text burned into an image has no text layer to compare, and an unusual clipping path may not look like one cover rectangle to the parser. The checker says what it inspected. It never labels a document safe.

Use the final file for the final check

Compressing, merging or signing after a privacy pass writes a different file and may add new metadata. Finish every other operation first. Redact page content, remove private metadata, rename the file outside the PDF, then inspect the exact copy you will send.

The recovery guide explains the line between a true redaction and a reversible cover. Privacy scan handles the data outside the visible page and changes nothing until you choose what to remove.

Questions people ask

Is a black box the same as PDF redaction?
No. A black box may be one more object drawn over the original content. Redaction removes the marked content from the written file and checks that no selectable text remains below the mark.
Does redaction remove PDF metadata?
It should be checked separately. The pdfpix redaction pass strips supported document metadata and attachments, while Privacy scan shows each field so you can inspect the final file directly.
Can a redaction checker prove a PDF is safe?
No. It can report the failure modes it knows how to inspect and state its limits. Image-only text and unusual drawing techniques still need a person to review the page and the source workflow.
Which privacy step should happen last?
Run the privacy checks on the exact file you will send. Other PDF operations can write new metadata, and renaming the file happens outside the PDF, so both belong at the end of the workflow.

Do it now

The tool runs in this browser. Your file never leaves the machine, and the result is checked before you download it.

Redact PDF

Guides