Redact PDF
Permanently remove sensitive content from a PDF.
Actually removed
Redacted pages are flattened to an image — the text underneath is gone, not just covered.
Can’t be recovered
Unlike a black box over live text, flattened content can’t be selected, searched, or copied back out.
Only marked pages change
Pages you don’t touch keep their crisp, selectable text.
Redacted means gone — not hidden
A black box over live text isn’t redaction — anyone can select and copy what’s underneath. LawLease’s free PDF redaction tool works differently: draw boxes over the content you want removed, and we flatten only those pages so the original text is permanently erased from the file. Untouched pages keep their selectable text and quality exactly as they were. The whole process runs in your browser — your documents never leave your device.
How to redact a PDF
Three steps, and the permanent removal happens right in your browser.
01
Upload your PDF
Drag your file into the box or click to choose it from your device. Any standard PDF works — leases, applications, contracts.
Drop file to startStep 0102
Draw boxes over sensitive content
Click and drag to place black boxes over names, account numbers, SSNs, or any content you need removed. Move through pages and mark as many areas as needed.
Draw to markStep 0203
Redact, preview, and save
We flatten only the pages you marked — burning the boxes in so the content underneath is permanently gone — then show a preview. Create a free account (no card) to download your redacted PDF.
Redact & downloadStep 03
Why redact PDFs with LawLease
Built for the moments when "good enough" redaction isn’t good enough.
Real redaction, not a cover-up
Marked pages are rasterized — the original text is gone from the file entirely. There’s no hidden layer to recover, copy, or search.
Untouched pages stay sharp
Only the pages you redact are flattened to an image. Every other page keeps its original selectable text, quality, and file fidelity.
Nothing leaves your browser
Redaction runs entirely on your device. Sensitive tenant records, applications, and financial documents never touch a server.
No software to install
Works in any modern browser — open it, use it, done. No app to download, no plugin to install, no account required to try.
What landlords use it for
A few of the everyday situations where proper redaction matters.
Black out SSNs before sharing
Remove a tenant’s Social Security number or bank account details from an application before forwarding it to a co-owner or property manager.
Strip prior tenant info from a reused form
Clear a previous tenant’s personal details from a lease or move-in checklist before reusing the document for a new tenancy.
Hide a co-applicant’s details
Redact one applicant’s income or financial information from a joint application before sharing it with parties who only need to see the other applicant’s data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this real redaction or just a black box?
- Real redaction. Pages you mark are flattened to an image with the boxes burned in — the text underneath is permanently removed. It can’t be selected, searched, or copied back out of the file.
- Will my whole document lose selectable text?
- No. Only the pages you marked are flattened. Every page you didn’t touch keeps its original selectable text and quality exactly as-is.
- Is it free?
- Yes. Redaction runs entirely in your browser for free. You only create a free account — no credit card — to download the finished file.
- Are my files uploaded to a server?
- No. Everything happens on your device. Your PDF never leaves your browser, which matters a great deal when the document contains tenant SSNs, bank numbers, or other sensitive information.
- Can I undo a redaction after I’ve applied it?
- Not after you download — that’s the point. Flattening is permanent and irreversible, so the content is truly gone. Before you hit Redact, you can clear boxes from any page and start over.
- What if I only want to redact one page in a long document?
- That’s exactly how it works. Navigate to the page you need, draw your boxes, and only that page is flattened. All other pages pass through untouched.
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