redact-pdf

Remove selected text from PDFs with black bars and content stream edits.

Updated May 26, 2026

Search Tags:#data privacy #document security #content protection #pdf redaction #text removal

Ready to run

npx skills add https://github.com/davideldersveld/CopilotCoworkUtilitySkills --skill redact-pdf

💬 Prompt for ChatGPT / Claude Chat▼

Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: redact-pdf
Source: https://github.com/davideldersveld/CopilotCoworkUtilitySkills/tree/main/redact-pdf
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/davideldersveld/CopilotCoworkUtilitySkills --skill redact-pdf

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires pypdf, pdfplumber, reportlab, Pillow, and includes scripts (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

This Skill provides secure redaction of sensitive words or phrases in PDF documents, ensuring the removal of content while preserving the integrity of the rest of the document.

Core Features & Use Cases

Selective Redaction: Remove specific words or phrases from PDFs while leaving the rest of the document intact.
Visual and Textual Removal: Ensures the text is both visually covered with black bars and removed from the text layer, making it unsearchable and uncopyable.
Use Case: When a user needs to remove confidential information from a document, such as client names or sensitive data, while still maintaining the readability of the document.

Quick Start

Use the redact-pdf skill to redact the word 'confidential' from all pages of 'example.pdf'.

Frequently Asked Questions about redact-pdf

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema

How do I securely redact text in a PDF so it cannot be copied or extracted?▼

Secure PDF redaction removes sensitive text from the content stream and overlays black bars, ensuring information is not recoverable via copy/paste or text extraction tools.

What is the best way to remove specific words from a PDF while keeping the rest of the document intact?▼

Selective PDF redaction targets specific words or phrases for removal while preserving the integrity and readability of the surrounding document content.

Do I need pypdf and pdfplumber to redact sensitive information from PDF documents?▼

Yes, PDF redaction requires pypdf, pdfplumber, reportlab, and Pillow to manipulate the document content stream and overlay visual black bars for secure text removal.

Can I automate the redaction of confidential client names across multiple pages of a PDF?▼

Yes, you can automate PDF redaction to remove confidential client names or sensitive data across all pages while maintaining overall document integrity and readability.

Does PDF redaction completely remove the underlying text layer or just visually cover it?▼

PDF redaction completely removes the text from the underlying text layer while simultaneously overlaying black bars visually, making the redacted content unsearchable and uncopyable.

When should I use PDF redaction instead of simply blacking out text with an image editor?▼

Use PDF redaction when you need to modify the content stream to permanently remove sensitive text, preventing recovery via text extraction, unlike image editors that only visually cover text.