Prepare a PDF for private sharing
Review visible content and hidden document data separately. Redaction, metadata removal and sanitization solve different problems; inspect a saved copy before sharing.
1. Decide what the recipient should receive
Work on a copy. Remove pages that are unnecessary for the recipient. Avoid placing confidential details in the output filename.
2. Redact visible sensitive information
Use Redact PDF or Redact by search. A white rectangle or annotation is not the same as removing the underlying content. Rasterized redaction can remove searchability and other interactive features.
3. Check hidden data
Use metadata removal to remove document properties. Sanitize PDF also targets comments, attachments, scripts and form data. Neither replaces reviewing the visible page content.
4. Verify the saved copy
- Open it in a PDF viewer and inspect every page.
- Try selecting and searching for removed phrases.
- Review document properties, comments and attachments.
- Check the recipient, filename and sharing permissions separately.
A successful tool operation is not certification that a document meets an organization's disclosure requirements. Use your organization's review process where one applies.