Redact or censor an image
Black out ID numbers, addresses and names in photos and screenshots before you send them. Free, and your image never leaves your device.
100% on your device. Your photo never leaves it.
Drag over faces, names or numbers to hide them.
Hiding text like an ID number? Use Black box. Pixelated or blurred text can sometimes be read back.
Saved without the location or other hidden details.
How to redact a photo or screenshot
- Choose an image. A screenshot, a scan, or a photo of a document or ID.
- Drag a box over each detail to hide. Add as many as you need.
- Download the redacted copy. Your original isn't changed.
What to black out
- ID and passport numbers, and the machine-readable lines at the bottom of a passport.
- Account, card and policy numbers.
- Home address, date of birth and signature.
- Barcodes and QR codes, which can hold the same details.
- Faces of anyone who hasn't agreed to be in the picture.
Why a black box beats blur for text
Blur and pixelate scramble pixels but leave some of the original information behind. Researchers have shown that short pixelated text, like a password or number, can sometimes be read back. A solid box replaces those pixels completely, so the saved copy has nothing left to recover. For faces and backgrounds, blur or pixelate look more natural.
Your image stays on your device
Many online redaction tools upload your documents to their servers, which defeats the point. This one works inside your browser and saves the result straight back to your device, without the location or other hidden details. To keep the unredacted originals private, see how to store a passport photo securely on your phone.
Frequently asked questions
How do I redact an image?
Choose the image above, keep Black box selected, and drag a box over each piece of text or detail you want to hide. Tap Download photo to save a redacted copy.
Is a black box safer than blur or pixelate?
For text, yes. Blurred or pixelated text can sometimes be reconstructed, but a solid black box replaces the pixels completely, so there's nothing left to recover in the saved copy.
Can I redact a screenshot or a photo of a document?
Yes. Screenshots, scans and photos of IDs, bills or letters all work. Cover account numbers, addresses, dates of birth, signatures and barcodes, which can also contain personal data.
Are my images uploaded?
No. Everything happens in your browser, and this site has no server that could receive your image. You can turn off Wi-Fi after the page loads and it still works.
Does it work on PDFs?
Not directly. Take a screenshot of the PDF page and redact that, or use your PDF app's redaction feature, which removes the hidden text as well.