How-to // PDF redaction
How to redact sensitive data in a PDF
Before you send a PDF, you need to find and remove the sensitive data inside it. Here is how to do both on Windows, locally.
Find, then redact
Redaction starts with detection
You cannot redact what you have not found. The reliable way to clean a PDF is to first scan it for sensitive data, including text inside scanned pages, then redact what it surfaces.
The steps below do exactly that on Windows, without sending the PDF to an online tool.
The process
Redact a PDF in five steps
Install FileSentinel
Get FileSentinel from the Microsoft Store and open it on Windows 10 or 11.
Scan the PDF
Point it at the PDF or its folder. With OCR on, it reads scanned and image-based pages too.
Review the findings
See the SSNs, cards, account numbers, and other sensitive data found inside, scored by severity.
Redact the values
Redact the sensitive values and strip the document metadata to a clean copy.
Save and share
Keep the clean copy to share, with a remediation history of exactly what was redacted.
On your machine
No online redaction tool needed
FileSentinel reads and redacts the PDF on your own device, so a confidential document is never uploaded to a third-party redaction site.
Related
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Questions & answers
FAQ
How do I find what to redact in a PDF?
Scan the PDF with FileSentinel first. It surfaces SSNs, cards, account numbers, and other sensitive data, including text inside scanned pages via OCR, so you know exactly what to redact.
Does it redact scanned PDFs too?
FileSentinel uses OCR to read scanned and image-based pages so their sensitive content is found, then helps you redact and strip the file to a clean copy.
Is the PDF uploaded anywhere?
No. Scanning and redaction happen entirely on your Windows PC.
Will I keep the original?
Yes. FileSentinel works to a clean copy and records what was changed in a remediation history.
Get FileSentinel
How to Redact Sensitive Data in a PDF
Install FileSentinel from the Microsoft Store and scan your files for sensitive data, all on your Windows PC with nothing uploaded.