How to redact a PDF on iPhone(free, no app to install)
June 16, 2026 · 1 min read
You can redact a PDF on an iPhone without buying anything. The one thing to watch is that the Markup tools built into iOS hide content instead of removing it, so they're not enough on their own.
Why Markup isn't enough
In Photos or Files you can scribble a black rectangle over a PDF with Markup. It looks redacted on the phone, but the text underneath stays in the file and can be copied out the moment someone opens it on a computer. Markup is for annotation, not redaction.
Redact it in Safari instead
- Open the free tool in Safari.
- Pick your PDF from Files, iCloud, or Downloads. It stays on your device.
- Tap and drag a box over each sensitive bit.
- Apply. The content inside each box is removed and the page is flattened.
- Download and share from Files.
To be sure, open the finished PDF, select the text, and paste it into Notes. Nothing you redacted should come through. The full reason.