Redaction Methods

Redaction is the process of permanently removing sensitive information such as names, identification numbers, student records, medical data, or confidential notes from a document. Proper redaction ensures that any removed information cannot be recovered, even with specialized tools. A common mistake is covering text with a black shape or highlight. This method only hides the text visually. The underlying content usually remains selectable, searchable, and extractable, which means it is not secure.

Proper redaction requires using tools designed specifically for that purpose. These tools remove the text or images from the document itself rather than simply masking them. They also remove hidden content such as metadata, OCR text layers, comments, or embedded objects. When redaction is applied correctly, the information is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

Simple Methods for Redacting PDFs

• Mac Preview App (Free):
  1. Open the PDF and click the Markup Toolbar button.
  2. Select the Redact tool (or Tools > Annotate > Redact in older versions).
  3. Highlight the text; it will show a black box. Save the document to finalize the removal.

• Adobe Acrobat Pro (available through OKTA to all Rollins students, faculty, and staff):
  1. Click Apply to permanently remove the content and sanitize the document of metadata.
  2. Save the new file.
  3. Open the PDF and navigate to Tools > Redact.
  4. Select Mark for Redaction to highlight text or images.