Text Search Redaction
Search by keyword, phrase, or regular expression. Redact every matching instance across all pages at once — free, without limits.
Always free — no credit card required Free PDF Redaction
Free PDF Redaction
No Signup. No Upload.
Permanently remove sensitive text, images, and metadata from PDF files — entirely in your browser, entirely free. Expunge never transmits your documents to any server.
Open source · AGPL v3 · Zero telemetry
Every Feature, Completely Free
No paid tier. No "pro" gating. The full tool is available to everyone, always.
Draw-to-Redact
Draw rectangles over any region — text, images, signatures, or stamps. Ideal for scanned documents and complex layouts.
OCR-Based Redaction
PaddleOCR runs locally to detect text in scanned PDFs and images. Search and redact content invisible to normal PDF tools.
True Content Removal
MuPDF WASM rewrites the PDF content stream. The original text is not hidden — it is gone. No copy-paste recovery, no metadata leakage.
PDF Watermarking (Beta)
Add watermarks with customise text, opacity, angle, and colour — all free.
Instant Download
Download your redacted PDF immediately after processing. No watermarks on output, no expiring download links, no email required.
Redact a PDF in Three Steps
No installation. No configuration. Works in any modern browser.
Open Your PDF
Drag your file onto the app or click to browse. The document loads locally — nothing is uploaded.
Mark What to Remove
Search for text, draw over regions, or let OCR find printed content automatically. Review highlights before committing.
Download the Redacted File
Apply redactions and download. MuPDF permanently removes the content from the PDF stream.
Open source
Why Is It Free?
Expunge is a hobby project with intention to make redaction accessible and secure, open sourced under AGPL v3. The source code is public, auditable, and free to self-host.
There is no freemium model. No usage caps. No ads.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Expunge really free to use?
Yes. There are no paid tiers, no feature paywalls, and no account required. The complete redaction suite — text search, draw-to-redact, and OCR-based redaction — is available at no cost.
Do I need to create an account?
No. Expunge requires no account, no email, and no login of any kind. Open the app and start redacting immediately.
Are free online PDF redaction tools safe to use?
Many free tools upload your files to a remote server, which is a significant privacy risk. Expunge processes everything locally in your browser — files are never transmitted, stored externally, or accessed by any third party.
Does free redaction actually remove text permanently?
Expunge uses MuPDF compiled to WebAssembly to perform true content-stream redaction. Unlike tools that draw a black box over text, Expunge removes the underlying characters from the PDF data — recovery is not possible.
Is there a file size or page count limit?
No. Because processing happens in your browser, limits depend on your device's memory rather than a server-imposed cap. Most modern computers handle hundreds of pages without issue.
Have more questions? Read the FAQ