How to redact a password-protected PDF
Bank statements, payslips and tax documents usually arrive locked, either with a password to open them or with copying switched off. You can still redact them. Here's what works and what to expect.
Open the redaction tool Free, no account. The file stays on your device.Quick steps
- Open maskyourdocs and choose the PDF.
- Enter the password when asked.
- Use Find text and Mask all, or Draw box, to mark what should go.
- Press Export, then Generate, then Download.
Two kinds of locked PDF
- A password to open it. You can't see the pages until you type the password.
- Restrictions on copying, printing or editing. The file opens normally, but selecting or copying text is blocked.
Some PDFs have both.
PDFs that need a password to open
You need the password. maskyourdocs doesn't remove or guess passwords; it asks for it when the file opens. If it's wrong, it asks again. Statements and payslips usually come with an email or web page that explains the password.
After export, expect two differences:
- The copy has no password. It's a new PDF, so share it through a channel you trust.
- Every page is flattened to an image, not just the ones you marked, because the locked file's pages can't be copied across as they are. The result says Whole document flattened. The file is larger and can't be searched, but it's correctly redacted.
PDFs locked against copying
When a PDF blocks copying, maskyourdocs respects it: Select text is switched off and a message says why. You can still:
- Type a name or number into Find text and press Mask all. Nothing goes to your clipboard, so this still works.
- Use Draw box anywhere on the page.
Some locked PDFs go further and store their text in a scrambled form that can't be searched at all. The tool spots this when the file opens and says so; use Draw box for everything.
Step by step
Step 1: Open the PDF and enter the password
Go to maskyourdocs, press Choose a file, pick the PDF and type the password when asked.
Step 2: Mark what should go
Use Find text and Mask all for names and numbers that repeat, and Draw box for everything else. 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.
Step 3: Export and check
Press Export, then Generate. The tool reopens the new PDF and checks that every value you marked is gone. If it says Still readable elsewhere, a value you marked also appears on a page you didn't mark: close the result, use Find text for it, and export again.
Step 4: Download and keep the original
Press Download. The copy's name starts with maskyourdocs.com-, so you can tell it from the original. Keep the original locked PDF too, in case someone later needs the unredacted version.
Questions
Can maskyourdocs remove a PDF password?
No. You need to know the password to open the file. The redacted copy you download is a new PDF without a password.
Why can't I select text in my PDF?
The PDF is locked against copying. Find text with Mask all, and Draw box, still work.
Why is the redacted file bigger than the original?
When the original is password-protected, every page is flattened to an image, not just the pages you marked. Images take more space than text.
Is the redacted copy still protected?
No. It has no password, so send it through a channel you trust.