Read on to discover the four best alternative solutions for redacting the content in PDFs, which are affordable and easy to use.
How to Redact a PDF without Adobe Pro Using SwifDoo PDF
SwifDoo PDF empowers you to redact PDF documents without Adobe in a breeze efficiently. It provides multiple tools for you to maintain the confidentiality of your files. You can black out, black highlight, or add shapes to hide the secret content.
The PDF redaction software tool allows you to search for a specific word, phrase, or other information to redact all the matched results in one go. It also lets you protect PDFs with watermarks.
We show you how to redact a PDF without Adobe Pro using SwifDoo PDF.
Step 1: Import the PDF file you want to deal with into the software app;
Step 2: Tap on the Protect tab and choose the Redaction tool;
Step 3: Drag over text to select it and click Apply Redaction;
Step 4: Choose SwifDoo and use the Save as option to save the changes.
Alternatively, you can redact your PDF using the steps below. This is particularly suitable for redacting the same data in many different positions of a PDF.
Step 1: Open the PDF you want to process in SwifDoo PDF;
Step 2: Navigate to Protect to select Search & Redact;
Step 3: Enter the text like numbers or your other personal info into the search box on the left panel;
Step 4: Click Search and select the matched items;
Step 5: Hit Apply Redaction to redact the information on PDF pages without Adobe Pro swiftly.
SwifDoo PDF is a handy one-stop shop for manipulating PDF documents. It not only lets you redact and blank out text in a PDF but also directly delete the text in your PDF. So you’re able to remove what you don’t want others to see permanently. It can do nearly everything related to PDFs without Adobe Pro, but the pro version is much more cost-saving than Adobe. Its free trial doesn't ask for your credit card info and has no limitations on any editing work.
Redact PDF without Adobe Using AvePDF
AvePDF is one of the various practical document redaction tools you can use to redact a PDF without Adobe Pro. This online software saves you the trouble of downloading and installing it. It allows you to set the properties of the added redaction marks, such as the title and color. The website has a clean interface.
Explore how to redact a PDF document without Adobe Acrobat Pro using the web-based tool.
Step 1: Open the online PDF service and search and choose the tool you need;
Step 2: Upload your PDF file from your device or the supported cloud storage platforms;
Step 3: Click the Add redaction marks button, and draw over where you need to be invisible;
Step 4: Repeat actions in Step 3 till you mark all the unshareable information for redaction;
Step 5: Click Apply all redactions > Save to complete the PDF redacting task.
How to Redact a PDF without Adobe Using Preview
If you are a Mac user who doesn’t want to redact in Adobe, the preinstalled application Preview is the way to go. It is the default image, PDF viewer, and PDF annotator. Its basic annotating tools let you highlight, draw on, and mark PDFs for redaction for free.
Discover how to redact a PDF without the Pro version of Adobe Acrobat on your Mac device.
Step 1: Double-click to open your PDF file in the PDF redaction tool;
Step 2: Click the Markup option (a pen around by a circle) and select Redact;
Step 3: Save the PDF as a copy if needed;
Step 4: Select your target text to redact the information in the PDF.
Redact Text in PDF without Adobe Pro via Google Docs
An alternative way to redact a PDF without Adobe Pro is using the online Google Docs service. Connected with Google Drive, the web-based tool allows you to open and convert a PDF to a Google Doc editable file. Like Microsoft Word, it lets you add black highlights to selected text and download the edited file back to PDF format.
Uncover how to enable the redaction of your PDF document content without the need for Adobe Pro.
Step 1: Upload your PDF to the Google Drive on the web;
Step 2: Click to open the PDF and choose Open with > Google Docs;
Step 3: Select the text you plan to redact in the PDF, choose the highlight tool, and highlight the color as black;
Step 4: Go to File > Download and download the file as a redacted PDF.
Besides, you can search and replace text in a PDF to redact certain information. Specifically, replace what you don’t want others to know with other words like X.
Final Words
Obscuring sensitive information in PDF documents holds great importance for safeguarding file security. This comprehensive guide has walked you through four straightforward or a bit curving methods to redact any PDF file without Adobe Pro. Pick the redaction software that hits you according to the operating system you use and your preference for desktop or online working.
Charlotte