How to Blur a PDF with 2 Effective Methods in 2025

Professionals have to share several PDF files with each other while collaborating on projects. These PDFs can contain personal information like bank account details or private numbers. In such cases, you need to blur PDF text to hide such private data from other team members before sharing a particular document. PDF redactor tools can fulfill this need with their ability to black out certain text.

In this article, we will introduce the best PDF blur tool to help you get a proper idea of their features. After going through this article, you will be able to understand the workings of all these tools.

How to Blur Text in PDF

There are many tools available for blurring text in a PDF, but choosing a reliable one with multiple methods to fit your needs is essential.

Fortunately, UPDF is an all-in-one PDF tool with advanced features, including the ability to blur text in PDF documents. With this feature, you can easily hide sensitive information by selecting any text and applying a blur effect. Additionally, you can customize the blur properties by adjusting the fill and border colors. The "Overlay Text" feature also allows you to add new text over the blurred content for extra flexibility.

For a more efficient approach, UPDF offers the "Search & Redact" feature, which lets you blur all instances of specific text across the entire document. Multiple blurring methods are available, giving you full control over how you redact your PDFs.

Try it now.

Method 1: Blur Text in a PDF Using the Redaction Feature

Now that you have a good understanding of this PDF blur tool, it’s time to familiarize yourself with how it works. The following simple steps outline one of the methods provided in UPDF to help you blur text in a PDF:

Step 1: Access the Redaction Tool on UPDF

First and foremost, you have to download UPDF on your Windows or Mac device to make use of its blur PDF feature. Once the downloading is complete, upload your PDF on the UPDF interface to kick-start the process.

Open your PDF file in UPDF. Click the "Redact" icon on the left side of your screen to enter the redaction mode.

Step 2: Blur Text in PDF

• After entering the redaction mode of this tool, hit the "Mark for Redaction" button to apply the blur effect on your PDF text.
• Now, you have to select the text you want to blur.
• Right-click and select the ”Apply Redactions“ icon.

Note: Before marking all the text, you can also change the blur properties by clicking on the "Properties" tab. Here, you have the option to adjust the fill, border, and overlay text settings for better customization.  

Extra Tip: Blur a Specific Word Everywhere in the Document at Once

If you want to blur any specific word or phrase everywhere in your PDF, click on the "Find Text & Redact" tab to do so. Afterward, write the text you want to hide from the whole document, and a list will appear containing all lines with this specific word. Now, select the text and press the "Redact" button to complete the operation.

To protect and blur your document's sensitive information in the most reliable way, we recommend downloading the UPDF AI-powered PDF toolkit by clicking the "Free Download" button below. This tool will help you secure your document information in various ways with ease.

Method 2. Blur Text in a PDF by Drawing a Shape to Hide It

In this method, you can draw a shape over the text you want to blur, effectively hiding it from view. Below, we’ll provide detailed steps to guide you through the process.

Step 1. After downloading UPDF on your device, open the PDF you want to blur.

Step 2. Go to Comment mode and click on the Rectangle icon to select a shape.

Step 3. Customize the shape by adjusting the border and fill colors, opacity, and border thickness.

Step 4. Draw the shape over the content (text, image, or links) you want to blur.

Conclusion

In conclusion, blurring text in a PDF is simple and effective with UPDF, whether you're using the redaction feature or drawing shapes to hide sensitive information. Beyond text blurring, UPDF offers a comprehensive range of tools to help you edit, annotate, convert, organize, and protect your PDF files. With its powerful features, UPDF is a versatile solution for all your PDF needs, making it an invaluable tool for improving document efficiency and security. Try UPDF today to discover how it can enhance your PDF workflow!