How to white out text in a PDF
Whiteout is the digital version of correction fluid: a white patch over something you do not want seen, often with the right text written on top. It is the quickest fix for a wrong date on a form, a stray mark on a scan, or last year's figure on a reused template.
Open PDF EditorEdit text, images and signatures in placeStep by step
Open the PDF in the editor
Drop the document onto the PDF Editor and go to the page with the thing you want to cover.
Choose Whiteout and drag over the area
Click Whiteout in the toolbar, then click and drag across what should disappear. The box covers it in plain white; draw several boxes if the area is irregular.
Type the replacement, if there is one
Choose Text and click on the white area to type over it. Font, Size and Format let you match the surrounding text as closely as you can.
Save and download
Save Changes writes the result into the PDF and shows a preview before Download PDF.
Whiteout hides: it does not delete
The covered content is still in the file underneath the white box. Anyone who selects the area, searches the document or copies its text can find it. That is fine for a correction; it is not fine for a bank number, a name or anything confidential. Redact PDF is the tool that removes information from the file itself.
When editing the text directly is better
On a PDF with real text, you can often click the wrong line and simply retype it, which replaces the words rather than covering them. Whiteout is for what cannot be clicked: marks on a scan, parts of an image, or a patch of a page you want blank. On a coloured background a white box will show, so keep it to white areas of the page.
Common questions
Is whiteout the same as redaction?
No. Whiteout covers content so it cannot be seen; the original stays in the file and can be selected, searched or copied. Redaction removes it. For anything sensitive, use Redact PDF.
Can I undo a whiteout box?
Yes. Until you save, undo takes it back, and the Erase tool removes anything you have added, including a whiteout box.
Does it work on a scanned PDF?
Yes. Whiteout covers whatever is on the page, whether it is real text or part of a scanned image.