Find Names, Numbers and Emails in a PDF and Redact Them
Find emails, phones, PAN, Aadhaar, cards, IFSC, GSTIN and IBAN in a PDF, review each match, and redact it.
Free, with no sign-up and no watermark. The file is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
Scan a PDF for personal data and redact it in one pass. Detectors cover email addresses, phone numbers, PAN, Aadhaar (checked with the Verhoeff algorithm), card numbers (checked with Luhn), IFSC codes, GSTIN, IBAN and, optionally, dates such as dates of birth. You can add your own pattern too. Every match is listed with its page and context so you decide what goes.
Pages that contain a redaction are rebuilt: the page is rendered as an image with the boxes painted on, so the hidden content is gone from the file for good, and every piece of text outside the boxes is added back as an invisible layer — the page stays searchable and selectable. Pages without redactions are copied unchanged.
Step by step
- Upload the PDF: It needs a text layer.
- Choose detectors: Tick what to look for under What to look for, and optionally add a Custom pattern such as EMP-\d{5}.
- Scan: Click Scan for Personal Data.
- Review: Untick anything that shouldn't be removed — clicking a box on the page also unticks it. Use Select all or None for bulk changes.
- Apply: Set colour and quality, then click Apply Redactions.
Handy for
KYC documents
Remove Aadhaar and PAN numbers before forwarding paperwork.
Customer exports
Strip emails and phone numbers from reports before sharing them.
Invoices
Hide bank and GST details on copies sent to third parties.
Support tickets
Clean card numbers out of screenshots saved as PDF.
Good to know
Checksums reduce false alarms: random 12- or 16-digit numbers that fail the Aadhaar or card checks aren't flagged.
Pattern detection can still miss unusual formats — skim the document before relying on it.
Scanned PDFs need Searchable PDF first; otherwise nothing can be detected.
Questions
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. The file is read and processed by JavaScript running in your browser tab. Nothing is sent to a server, and the result is created on your device.
Is my data sent anywhere to be analysed?
No. Detection uses patterns that run in your browser.
What does a custom pattern look like?
It is a regular expression. For example, EMP-\d{5} matches EMP- followed by five digits.
Are names detected?
No. Names can't be reliably recognised by patterns; add them with Redact PDF search.
Further reading
- How to Redact a PDF Properly, Not Just With Black Boxes — Black boxes leave text in a PDF. True redaction rebuilds the page so the content is gone; find personal data automatically and test the file before sending.
More Protect & Redact tools
- Test a PDF for Leaky Redactions — Test whether text under black boxes or hidden on blank areas is still readable, and make a properly redacted copy.
- Check a PDF for Hidden Data — List a PDF's metadata, form data, attachments and scripts, and find emails, phones, PAN, Aadhaar or card numbers.
- SHA Hashes for Files — Compute SHA-256, SHA-384, SHA-512 and SHA-1 hashes of a file and compare them against a hash you paste.
- Add a Password to a PDF — Require a password to open a PDF using AES-256 or AES-128, and optionally restrict printing or copying.
- Remove a Known PDF Password — Enter the password you know and save a copy of the PDF that opens without one, with text and links kept.
- Allow Printing & Copying in a PDF — Lift print, copy and edit restrictions from a PDF you're allowed to change, keeping its text and quality.