Redacted guides
Redacted is a free online tool that lets you blur, pixelate, or black out parts of an image in your browser. Nothing is uploaded to a server — all editing happens locally on your device.
Quick start
- Open an image. On the home page, drag and drop an image, paste one from your clipboard with Ctrl/⌘ + V, or click Select image to browse your device.
- Select the area you want to hide. Drag across the image to create a selection. On touch devices, tap to place a selection. You can create as many selections as you need.
- Choose a mask. Use the toolbar to pick how each selection is hidden: a solid box, pixelate, blur, or an emoji.
- Download or copy. Click Download to save the redacted image to your device, or press Ctrl/⌘ + C to copy it to your clipboard.
Opening an image
There are four ways to load an image into Redacted:
- Drag and drop a file from your desktop onto the page.
- Paste with Ctrl/⌘ + V — works for images copied from other apps, screenshots, and image URLs.
- Select image to open your device's file picker.
- Load sample image from the footer to try Redacted without uploading your own photo.
Supported formats include JPEG, PNG, GIF, and WebP.
Working with selections
Shapes
Each selection can be a square or a round shape. Pick the shape that best fits the area you want to cover.
Masks
- Box — a solid black rectangle, the classic redaction look.
- Pixelate — scrambles the area into chunky pixels.
- Blur — softens the area so details are no longer readable.
- Emoji — cover a face or object with an emoji.
Editing and removing selections
Click a selection to focus it, then drag its edges to resize or drag the middle to reposition. Use the remove action in the toolbar to delete a selection you no longer want.
Saving your image
When you are done:
- Download — click the download button. The file is saved with a
-redacted_dot_appsuffix so you can tell it apart from the original. - Copy to clipboard — press Ctrl/⌘ + C while editing to copy the redacted image as a PNG. Paste it straight into chat, email, or any image-aware app.
Privacy
Redacted runs entirely in your browser. Your image never leaves your device — there is no upload, no server processing, and no account. Redacted also strips metadata (including GPS/location data) from the exported image.
Step-by-step articles
How to add an emoji to an image
Cover a face, name, or object in a photo with an emoji in your browser — no upload, no app install.
How to blur a face in a photo
Blur someone's face in a photo to anonymise them — free, in your browser, with no upload.
Use-case pages
Black out text in image online
Black out text in an image online with solid redaction boxes. Hide names, messages, addresses, and private details in your browser.
Blur face in photo online
Blur a face in a photo online for privacy. Free browser-based face redaction with no upload or account.
Blur part of image online
Blur a selected part of an image online. Hide faces, text, objects, or private details without uploading your image.
Blur screenshot online
Blur private text, names, faces, or account details in a screenshot online. Paste, redact, and download in your browser.
Blur text in image online
Blur text in an image online to hide names, messages, addresses, or account details. Free browser-based image redaction.
Can redacted images be unredacted?
Learn when redacted images can be recovered and how to redact images more safely with black boxes, metadata stripping, and careful exports.
Censor image online
Censor an image online with black boxes, blur, pixelation, or emoji covers. No upload, no account, no tracking.
Hide sensitive information in an image
Hide sensitive information in an image before sharing it online. Blur, pixelate, or black out private details locally in your browser.
How to black out something in a picture on iPhone
Black out something in a picture on iPhone using a browser-based redaction tool. No app install required.
How to redact a screenshot
Learn how to redact a screenshot before sharing it. Hide names, messages, account details, and private text in your browser.
Redact image online
Redact an image online with blur, pixelate, black boxes, or emoji masks. Free, private, and processed in your browser.
What is a redacted card image?
Learn what a redacted card image means and how to hide card details safely before sharing a screenshot or photo.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Redacted free?
- Yes. Redacted is free to use with no hidden fees or subscriptions.
- Does Redacted work offline?
- Yes. Once the page has loaded, you can disconnect from the internet and Redacted will keep working.
- Does Redacted work on mobile?
- Yes. Redacted works on modern desktop and mobile browsers. On touch devices, tap to place and move selections.
- Does Redacted use cookies or tracking?
- No. Redacted does not use cookies and does not track you.
- Can I undo a mask I no longer want?
- Yes. Select the mask and use the remove action in the toolbar.