Redact a PDF
Tools › Redact (⇧⌘X) marks the selected text, or opens the tool to Mark text or Mark area. Marks are only a plan until you choose Apply Redactions…; applying (Pro) removes the content under each box from the file and saves a new file named ‹name›-redacted.
Marking is free; applying redactions is Pro.
Mark
Choose Tools › Redact (⇧⌘X), the Redact button in Edit, or right-click a selection › Redact.
- Mark text: drag across text; double-click marks a word.
- Mark area: drag a box over text, images or drawings.
The Redactions panel lists every mark; nothing is removed until you apply. Remove this mark or Clear All to start over. You can set the overlay text (for example REDACTED), and choose Also remove document metadata and Also remove attachments.
Apply
Choose Apply … redactions… or Tools › Apply Redactions…. The content under each box is removed from the file, not hidden: text, images and drawings, and comments and form fields under the boxes. This cannot be undone, so Better PDF writes a new file, “‹name›-redacted”, and leaves the original alone.
An encrypted file needs its password removed first (see Protect a PDF with a password).