How to redact a passport copy
The most common mistake when redacting a passport is hiding the number at the top and leaving the two lines of code at the bottom, which contain the same number and more. Here's what to cover, and how.
Open the redaction tool Free, no account. The file stays on your device.Quick steps
- Open maskyourdocs and choose the passport scan or photo.
- Choose Draw box and cover each field you want hidden.
- Cover both lines of code at the bottom of the page (the MRZ).
- Press Export, then Generate, then Download.
Before you start: ask what they need
Airlines, hotels abroad, visa offices and employers arranging travel often need the full data page. A redacted copy is for when someone only needs to confirm your name or nationality, or for keeping a copy somewhere you don't fully trust.
Don't forget the two lines at the bottom
The two lines of letters, numbers and < signs at the bottom of the photo page are the machine readable zone, or MRZ. Border scanners read it, and so can free phone apps. It repeats:
- Your passport number
- Your surname and given names
- Your nationality
- Your date of birth and sex
- The expiry date
If you hide any of those fields higher up the page, cover the whole MRZ too. Otherwise the redaction does nothing.
What else is on a passport
The photo page
- Passport number, often in the top corner
- Photo, and on many passports a second, faded copy of it
- Names, nationality, date and place of birth
- Place and date of issue, and expiry date
- Signature
The last page (Indian passports)
Older Indian passports print these on the last page:
- Father's or legal guardian's name, mother's name and spouse's name
- Address
- Old passport number and file number
Passports issued from 2025 are reported to leave out the address and parents' names, with the address held in a barcode on that page instead. Whichever you have, cover any barcode on the last page along with the details you hide.
Step by step
Step 1: Open the copy
Go to maskyourdocs and press Choose a file. A photo, a scan or a PDF all work.
Step 2: Cover each field
Choose Draw box and drag over each field to hide. On a phone or tablet, rest a finger on the spot until a ring appears, then drag. A quick swipe still scrolls, and two fingers pinch to zoom. Zoom in on the MRZ: it's small, and a box should cover both lines from edge to edge.
Step 3: Check the edges
Look at the edges of each box. A partly visible character can be enough to reconstruct a number, especially in the MRZ, which includes check digits.
Step 4: Export and download
Press Export, then Generate. For a photo, the exported image is repainted with your boxes and re-encoded, so camera metadata such as GPS location doesn't come along. Press Download. The copy's name starts with maskyourdocs.com-, so you can tell it from the original.
Questions
What is the MRZ on a passport?
The machine readable zone: the two lines of code at the bottom of the photo page. It repeats your passport number, names, nationality, date of birth, sex and expiry date.
Can someone read the MRZ from a photo?
Yes. Free phone apps read it from a photo or scan, so cover it whenever you hide any of the details it contains.
Should I hide my passport photo?
Only if the reader doesn't need to recognise you. Many passports have a second, faded copy of the photo; cover that too.
Does it remove location data from a passport photo?
Yes. The exported image is re-encoded from the painted pixels, so metadata such as GPS location is not carried over.