Redact Images Online Free: Black Out Text & Faces
Draw black boxes over names, numbers, faces, and sensitive data in photos or screenshots. 100% private and runs securely on your device.
100% private. Nothing is uploaded.
How to Redact an Image in 3 Steps
Add Your Image
Drop a JPG, PNG or WebP into the box above, or click to choose one. Photos and screenshots both work.
Draw Black Boxes
Drag over each area you want to hide, with a mouse, finger or pen. Undo removes the last box, and Clear All removes every box.
Download the Redacted Image
Click Download Redacted. You get a JPG at the same width and height as your image, with every box painted into the picture.
Key features
Draw as many black boxes as you need
Undo or clear boxes before you save
- Your image stays on your device
- Opens JPG, PNG, WebP and more
- Free, no account, no watermark
When to Redact an Image
Documents & Screenshots
- Hide API keys, tokens and passwords in screenshots you share
- Cover email addresses and phone numbers in help guides
- Black out account numbers in a bank statement screenshot
- Hide file paths and user names in tutorial screenshots
Personal Details
- Cover faces in photos before you post them
- Hide ID numbers on a photo of a passport or license
- Black out a signature on a scanned page
- Cover your home address in a map or delivery screenshot
Work & Business
- Hide private figures in product screenshots
- Cover client names in screenshots for slides
- Black out salary details in HR screenshots
- Hide customer data in screenshots for a report or support ticket
What Does It Mean to Redact an Image?
To redact an image means to cover private details, such as a name, an account number or a face, with a solid box so nobody can read them. Blurring is different: it softens the area, and a light blur can leave text readable. Cropping is different too, because it cuts the area off instead of covering it.
How to Redact a Screenshot or Photo
Redacting takes seconds, but a small slip can leave a detail readable. These answers help you cover the right areas, pick the right method and know what the saved file holds.
How Do I Redact a Screenshot Properly?
Cover every copy of the detail with a box that has room to spare. The tool doesn't find text for you, so check the whole image:
- Cover the whole line with a little space around it. Tall letters and tails can peek out of a tight box.
- Box every copy. A name often shows up in a header, a reply and a signature.
- Check the edges too. Tabs, the address bar and profile pictures can give details away.
- Open the download and zoom in on each box before you share it.
Should I Black Out, Blur or Crop?
Use a black box for text and numbers, because it leaves nothing to read. The other two fit other jobs:
- Black box: best for passwords, account numbers and names. The covered pixels are not kept in the saved file.
- Crop: best when the detail sits near an edge. Cropping the image removes that strip, so the picture gets smaller.
- Blur: the blur tool softens the whole image, not one area. A light blur can leave text readable.
What Does the Redacted File Keep?
The download is a new JPG made from your image with the boxes on it, saved at 92% quality. Here is what that means for your file:
- It keeps the full width and height of your image.
- Camera details and GPS location from the original are not copied into it.
- It is named after your file with -redacted added, like photo-redacted.jpg. Rename it if the original name gives something away.
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Redact Image — Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about redacting private details in photos and screenshots
Can I redact more than one area in the same photo?
Yes. Draw a box over each area, and add as many boxes as you need. Every box is a solid black rectangle. There are no other shapes or colors. Download Redacted turns on once you have drawn at least one box.
Can I undo a redaction box?
Yes, before you download. Undo removes the last box you drew, and Clear All removes all of them. After you download, the boxes are part of the saved picture. Your original image is not changed, so you can open it again and start over.
Can someone remove the black box from a redacted image?
Not from the file you download here. The black is painted into the pixels before the JPG is saved, so the picture under a box is not stored in the file. Two things still need care. A box that misses part of the text can leave edges readable. And your original image still shows everything, so share only the redacted copy.
Can I redact a photo on my iPhone or Android phone?
Yes. Open this page in your phone's browser and pick a photo. Drag a finger or stylus over each area to draw a box. A drag on the image draws instead of scrolling, so scroll from outside the image.
Can I redact text in a screenshot?
Yes. Drag a box over the text with a little space around it, and add a box for each place it appears. The download keeps the screenshot's full size. It is saved as a JPG, so small text outside the boxes can look a little softer than in the original PNG.
What image formats can I redact?
You can open JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF and most other images your browser can show. If a file won't open, such as some HEIC photos, save it as a JPG first. The download is always a JPG. See-through areas in a PNG or WebP turn black, and an animated GIF keeps one frame.