Screenshot Redactor: Black Out Text in a Picture
About to post a screenshot of an error, a receipt or a chat? Drag solid boxes over anything private, crop out what nobody needs to see, and save a flat copy that can't be peeled back. Everything happens on this page.
Cover names, card numbers, passwords, QR codes and faces with solid boxes, or crop them out, then save a flat copy that can't be undone. Your picture never leaves this page.
Drop a screenshot here, paste it (Ctrl+V), or
PNG, JPEG or WebP. Nothing is uploaded.
Drag to draw a box; drag a box to move it; drag its corner square to resize. Keyboard: B adds a box, Q finds and covers QR codes, N picks the next one, arrows move it (Shift for 10 px), Alt+arrows resize, Delete removes it.
Why no blur or pixelate? Because both can be reversed by guessing: see why pixelating text isn't safe.
Check the copy before you send it
This copy is a brand-new picture drawn from pixels: the covered parts are gone, not hidden underneath, and it carries no location, dates, layers or editing history. Still check anything visible you missed, like a name in a tab title or a reflection.
How it works
Drop, paste or choose a screenshot. On a computer, take the screenshot, then press Ctrl+V (⌘+V on a Mac) on this page. The picture is opened by your browser and is never uploaded.
Drag across anything private to cover it with a solid box: names, email addresses, phone numbers, card and account numbers, order and tracking numbers, passwords, one-time codes, QR codes and barcodes, faces, addresses and the tabs or bookmarks at the edge of the screen. Drag a box to move it and drag its corner square to resize it. Every box is grown by 2 pixels by default so the tops of tall letters and soft edges don't peek out.
Find QR codes (or press Q) looks for every readable QR code in the picture, tells you what each one holds (a website link, Wi-Fi network, contact card, payment request and so on) and covers each with a solid box that includes its edge. It uses the same in-browser decoder as the QR code scanner, so the picture still never leaves the page. After you save, the copy is scanned again and you are told if any code can still be read. Barcodes, and codes too blurry or small to decode, still need a box from you.
Choose black, white, or match the background, which picks the most common colour just around each box so a covered word on a coloured bar looks tidy. Whatever the colour, the box is completely solid. Crop keeps only the part you drag over, which is the safest way to remove anything you don't need to show at all.
Download or Copy makes a new picture: the original is drawn, the boxes are painted into the same pixels, and every covered pixel is checked to be exactly the box colour before the file is made. There are no layers to remove and nothing underneath, and the copy carries none of the original's hidden data, such as the location, dates or editing app. The copy is shown below the tool so you can check it before sending.
Blur and pixelate are left out on purpose. Both follow a fixed recipe, so short text such as a PIN, a card number or an email address can be found by blurring every likely answer the same way and seeing which matches. The guide on pixelating and blurring explains it, and the blocky pictures lesson lets you watch it happen to a pretend PIN. For PDFs, use a real redaction tool instead; see redacting a PDF properly.
Questions
Is my screenshot uploaded?
No. It is opened, covered and saved entirely in your browser. Once the page has loaded you can switch off the network and it still works.
Can someone remove the black boxes from the saved picture?
No. The boxes are painted into the pixels of a brand-new picture, so what was underneath is not in the file at all. That is different from drawing a shape in a PDF or document editor, where the text often stays underneath.
Can it find and hide QR codes for me?
Yes. Press Find QR codes and every QR code it can read is covered with a solid box, with a note of what each one contained, such as a Wi-Fi password or a ticket link. The saved copy is then checked again for any readable code. It can't spot barcodes or codes that are too blurry to read, so look over the copy before you send it.
Why is there no blur or pixelate option?
Because they are not safe for text. A blur can be repeated on every likely answer until one matches, which is how pixelated PINs, card numbers and passwords have been recovered. A solid box or a crop leaves nothing to match.
Does the saved copy keep my location or other hidden data?
No. The copy is redrawn from pixels, so location, dates, the phone model and editing history are not carried over. Screenshots rarely have a location, but photos of a screen usually do.
What should I cover in a screenshot before posting it?
Names and usernames, email addresses, phone numbers, addresses, card, account, order and tracking numbers, passwords, API keys, one-time codes, QR codes and barcodes, faces, and anything in browser tabs, bookmarks or notifications at the edges.
Can I use it on my phone?
Yes. Choose a screenshot from your photos, draw boxes with your finger, then download the copy or share it. Very large photos are worked on at up to about 16 megapixels so the phone stays responsive.