Redaction

Permanently removing information from a document, usually with a solid opaque box.

Redaction means removing information from a document so it cannot be recovered. In an image or PDF that means a solid, opaque box burned into the exported file, not an annotation layer placed on top.

Blur and pixelation are not redaction. They transform the original pixels in a predictable way, so they can sometimes be reversed. Every redaction should be recorded in a log with its page and reason, because an unexplained gap looks like tampering.

Last updated

In practice: How to redact names in screenshots

Related terms

Open the exhibit builder · Start with one screenshot