Question 1

Is redacting PDF files free and secure?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the service is completely free. No registration is required, there are no hidden fees, and PDFs are created without watermarks. More information can be found here: ilovepdf.com/help/security

Question 2

Are my files saved or automatically deleted after upload?

Accepted Answer

Your PDF files remain protected throughout the entire processing. They are used exclusively to create your desired output file (e.g. PDF file), and all data is always transmitted encrypted.

If you do not delete them manually, the system will automatically and permanently delete your files after a maximum of 2 hours. Access by third parties is thus excluded. There is no permanent storage. Further information can be found here: ilovepdf.com/help/legal

Question 3

How does redacting sensitive information in a PDF work?

Accepted Answer

Redacting means permanently removing selected text areas, images, or objects and replacing them with a black box. The tool completely deletes the redacted content from the PDF structure. They are no longer visible, copyable, or recoverable. The result is a securely cleaned PDF version that can be shared.

Question 4

Are redacted data really permanently deleted?

Accepted Answer

Yes. iLovePDF uses a true redaction feature that removes the original content from the PDF instead of merely covering it up. Neither text nor metadata remains in the background. Therefore, the document is securely cleaned even for external audits or forensic tools.

Question 5

Can I redact both text and images?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can select individual words, entire sentences, text blocks, images, headers and footers, or any areas. The redaction can be marked as rectangles or placed precisely. The tool processes a clean, redacted final version.

If you have further questions, you can always contact support. ilovepdf.com/contact

Question 6

How do I ensure that redacted areas are completely secure and not visible?

Accepted Answer

Many programs only visually cover text, whereas iLovePDF actually deletes it from the file. You can verify the result by trying to highlight or copy text — redacted content no longer appears. Even the PDF layers contain no remnants of the original data.

Question 7

Can I redact multiple areas at once?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can mark as many areas in the PDF as you want before you finalize the document cleanup. You can also edit multiple pages simultaneously in multi-page PDFs. The tool then applies the redaction to all marked elements.

Question 8

Are there any limitations on file size or document length?

Accepted Answer

The file size limit is 400 MB. There is also no restriction on document length (number of pages). Performance remains stable even with many redactions.

Redact PDF

Securely and permanently redact sensitive information in PDFs. Completely remove text and images in compliance with data protection.

Short video tutorial in 3 steps

Tutorial

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Support

Privacy & Security (GDPR)