Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro

Using Search and Redact

Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro allows you to remove selected text and images from PDF documents. The Redaction tools make this process quick and easy. By using the Search and Redact tool, you are able to remove all occurrences of a specific word(s), phrase(s), or information type (e.g., all social security numbers). This option works only with searchable PDF documents. If your document is not searchable (e.g., if it was scanned), you must make redactions manually. In that case, refer to Redacting Selected Text or Images.

Defining the Search
Searching for a Single Word or Phrase
Searching for Multiple Words or Phrases
Searching for a Type of Information (Patterns)

Defining the Search

Before you can use one of the Search and Redact functions, you must access the Search dialog box.

Open the desired PDF file
From the View menu » select Toolbars » Redaction
The Redaction toolbar appears.
Click SEARCH AND REDACT
A confirmation dialog box appears.
Click OK
The Search dialog box appears.
Under Where would you like to search?, make the desired selection
In the current PDF document searches only the PDF document currently open
All PDF documents in searches all PDF documents in the specified folder from the pull-down list
Under Search for, make the desired selection and continue with one of the following:

Single word or phrase
Multiple words or phrase
Patterns

Searching for a Single Word or Phrase

Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro searches for keywords entered in the What word or phrase would you like to search for? text box

Define the initial search option
In the What word or phrase would you like to search for? text box, type the word or phrase you want searched for
OPTIONAL: To further define the search, select Whole words only and/or Case-Sensitive
NOTE: A checkmark appears in the box next to an option when it is selected.
Click SEARCH AND REDACT
If a confirmation dialog box appears, click OK
The Search window refreshes and displays the search results.
To view specific instances of the word/phrase in the document, in the Results scroll box, click on the desired document
The specific instance of that word/phrase will be shown in your PDF document with the word/phrase highlighted.
To redact all occurrences of that word/phrase in all of the documents, click CHECK ALL
To redact only specific occurrences, in the Results scroll box, select the desired occurrences
NOTES:
You might need to expand the document as a branch in the list. Click the "+" to the left of the documents in order to see the check boxes.
To redact a selection, click the check box so it is checked, or to uncheck all of the selections (if all are selected), click UNCHECK ALL.
Click MARK CHECKED RESULTS FOR REDACTION
The instance(s) of the word or phrase searched for and checked is marked for redaction on the PDF document.
If you marked an item(s) that you do not want to redact
1. Click on the desired selection in the PDF document
2. Press [Delete]
In the Redaction toolbar, click APPLY REDACTIONS
A confirmation dialog box appears.
Click OK
A dialog box appears, asking if you would like to search for additional document information.
To remove information from your document that is not visible (e.g., hidden fields), click YES
To leave the invisible information, click NO
To save the PDF document with redactions » from the File menu » select Save As...
The Save As dialog box appears.
Using the Save in pull-down list, select a save location
In the File name text box, type the file name
WARNING: The redacted areas have been permanently removed from your document. If you would like to save one copy with the redactions and one without, name the document with the redactions differently.
Click SAVE
The selected areas have been removed from the PDF.
NOTE: If you do not like the appearance of the reaction marks, you can modify them.

Searching for Multiple Words or Phrases

The Search dialog box reveals a SELECT WORDS... button that allows you to use a Words and Phrases to Search and Redact dialog box to search for a list of specified keywords

Define the initial search option
Click SELECT WORDS...
The Words and Phrases to Search and Redact dialog box appears.
To use an existing list of words and phrases that you regularly search for
1. Click IMPORT...
  The Open dialog box appears.
2. Using the Look in pull-down menu and navigation window, locate and select the document you would like to import
  NOTES:
  The default file type is text (.txt). To use other types of files, from the Files of type pull-down menu » select All Files (*.*).
  Recommended: Use .txt files.
3. Click OPEN
  Every word or phrase in the selected document is added to the Word and phrase list
To type a list of words and phrases,
1. In the New word or phrase text box, type a word or phrase you want Adobe Acrobat to search for
2. Click ADD
  The word or phrase is added to the Word and phrase list.
3. Repeat steps a-b until you have completed the list of words and/or phrases you want searched for
OPTIONAL: To save the Word and phrase list that you just typed for use later,
1. Click EXPORT...
  The Save As dialog box appears.
2. Using the Save in pull-down menu and navigation window, choose a save location for the .txt file
3. In the File name text box, type a name for the .txt file
4. Click SAVE
  The list of words and/or phrases is saved as a .txt file.
To remove a word or phrase from the Word and phrase list
1. Select the word from the list
2. Click REMOVE
OPTIONAL: To further define the search, select Whole words only and/or Case-Sensitive
NOTE: A checkmark appears in the box next to an option when it is selected.
Click OK
Adobe Acrobat searches for the designated words and/or phrases and marks all occurrences for redaction.
To deselect an item marked for redaction,
1. Click on the desired selection in the PDF document
2. Press [Delete]
In the Redaction toolbar, click APPLY REDACTIONS
A confirmation dialog box appears.
Click OK
A dialog box appears, asking if you would like to search for additional document information.
HINT: Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro is asking if you would like to search for metadata (information that is not visible e.g., form fields, hidden text).
To leave all metadata in the PDF document, click NO and continue with step 17
To search for metadata in your PDF document, click YES
The Examine Document pane appears, showing the metadata that Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro found within the PDF document.
In the Examine Document pane, select the information you want removed from the PDF document
Click REMOVE
The selected metadata is removed from the PDF document.
To save the PDF document with redactions, from the File menu, select Save As...
The Save As dialog box appears.
Using the Save in pull-down list, select a save location
In the File name text box, type the file name
WARNING: The redacted areas have been permanently removed from your document. If you would like to save one copy with the redactions and one without, name the document with the redactions differently.
Click SAVE
The selected areas have been removed from the PDF.
NOTE: If you do not like the appearance of the reaction marks, you can modify them.

Searching for a Type of Information (Patterns)

The Search dialog box reveals a Select your pattern pull-down list that allows you to specify a type of information (e.g., phone, social security numbers) that Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro can recognize and search for and mark for redaction.

Define the initial search option
Using the Select your pattern pull-down list » select a type of information you want searched for
NOTE: Depending on what type of information you select, the bottom of the Search dialog box will display a note that describes what Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro will search for.
Click SEARCH AND REDACT
If a confirmation dialog box appears, click OK
The Search window refreshes and displays the search results.
To view specific instances of the information type in the document, in the Results scroll box, click on the desired document
The specific instance of that word/phrase will be shown in your PDF document with the information highlighted.
To redact all of the occurrences of that information type in all of the documents, click CHECK ALL
To redact only specific occurrences, in the Results scroll box, select the desired occurrences
NOTES:
You might need to expand the document as a branch in the list. Click the "+" to the left of the documents in order to see the check boxes.
Click MARK CHECKED RESULTS FOR REDACTION
The instance(s) of the information type searched for and checked is marked for redaction on the PDF document.
To deselect an item marked for redaction,
1. Click on the desired selection in the PDF document
2. Press [Delete]
In the Redaction toolbar, click APPLY REDACTIONS
A confirmation dialog box appears.
Click OK
A dialog box appears, asking if you would like to search for additional document information.
HINT: Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro is asking if you would like to search for metadata (information that is not visible e.g., form fields, hidden text).
To leave all metadata in the PDF document, click NO and refer to step 14
To search for metadata in your PDF document, click YES
The Examine Document pane appears, showing the metadata that Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro found within the PDF document.
In the Examine Document pane, select the information you want removed from the PDF document
Click REMOVE
The selected metadata is removed from the PDF document.
To save the PDF document with redactions, from the File menu, select Save As...
The Save As dialog box appears.
Using the Save in pull-down list, select a save location
In the File name text box, type the file name
WARNING: The redacted areas have been permanently removed from your document. If you would like to save one copy with the redactions and one without, name the document with the redactions differently.
Click SAVE
The selected areas have been removed from the PDF.
NOTE: If you do not like the appearance of the reaction marks, you can modify them.