How to Redact a Document

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Replace all redacted text with .

   Start by replacing all the text you want redacted with the word .
   
   You can do a find and replace search to find all the text that needs to be redacted.
   
   This will ensure you redact all the necessary text in the document so it is hidden.For example, instead of noting the personal information of a customer: “Amy Hempel, 1031 SW Park Ave”, you may replace it with “” or simply “”.
   
   You can also place black squares or rectangles over information you want to redact.
   
   The black squares can be created by drawing long squares over the removed text areas and coloring them solid black.
   
   Make sure you delete the text underneath the black squares to ensure the black squares cannot be removed somehow to reveal the information.
   
   Make sure you do this for all instances and all variations of the information.
   
   You may need to do this manually if you use someone’s name in different ways throughout the document.
   
   For example, you may list “Amy Hempel” as “A.
   
   Hempel”, “Amy Hempel”, and “Ms.
   
   Hempel”.
   
   You will need to redact all instances of her name.
   
   You can do a find and replace search for every variation of her name or go through the document manually and replace them all with .
   
   Save this version of the document as the “Temp-redacted” version.
   
   This will ensure you have two copies of the document, one with the original information and one with the information redacted.
2. 2

   Step 2: Copy and paste the text into Windows Notepad.

   Windows Notepad is a simple-text editor that does not save any of the hidden code found in a text file.
   
   This format only saves basic text information so no other text that can be uncovered in the document.
   
   This is essential, as you do not want someone to be able to trace back to the original code of the text file, thereby exposing the redacted information.Select all the text in the text file. (CTRL-A or Edit > Select All) Copy the text in text file. (CTRL-C or Edit > Copy) Paste the text into Notepad. (CTRL-V or Edit > Paste) Save the file in Notepad as the “Text-redacted” version.
   
   It will be saved as a text (.txt) file.
   
   If you do not have Windows Notepad, you can use WordPerfect, WordStar, and Text Editor. , Once you paste the information from the text file into Notepad, most of the formatting in the document will be removed.
   
   The document will have no page numbers, tabs, justifications, paragraph numbering, or any bolding, italics, and underlining.
   
   You can reformat it before you save it as a redacted file.To reformat the document, you must close the Notepad file and open the “Text-redacted” text document in your word processing program.
   
   Reformat the text in the word processing program but do not change any of the text. , To create the final version of the redacted document, save the formatted document as the “Final-Redacted” version.
   
   This will ensure you have a redacted document that does not contain any sensitive information and/or any information that can be uncovered or shown.Convert the text file to a PDF by choosing the PDF format in the list of save file as options.
   
   Select PDF and save the file as the “Final-Redacted-PDF” version.
   
   Delete the “Text-redacted” and “Temp-redacted” versions so there is no paper trail to the original redacted information.
   
   You can now use the “Final-Redacted-PDF” version as the redacted file.
3. 3

   Step 3: Reformat the document.

4. 4

   Step 4: Save the formatted document as a PDF.

Detailed Guide

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