Strikethrough PDF

Runs in browser PDF Editing & Annotation

The classic proofreading mark: a line through the middle of the selected words, on every line of the selection, in the colour you choose. Saved as a standard StrikeOut annotation or flattened.

Privacy: Processed locally in your browser. Your file is not uploaded.

What is a PDF annotation, and why does whiting-out text not remove it?

An annotation is an object attached to a page on top of its content: highlights, underlines, strike-throughs, sticky notes, free text, ink drawings, shapes, stamps and signature fields are all annotation types defined in ISO 32000, stored in the page's /Annots array and editable or removable later. Flattening draws them permanently into the page content. The PDF editor on this site keeps only highlights, underlines, strike-throughs (unless you choose to flatten them) and sticky notes as annotations; the text, drawings, shapes, stamps and signature images it adds are written straight into the page content and are permanent. A white rectangle drawn over text is exactly that — a shape on top — so the text beneath still exists, copies and searches; only redaction, which deletes the underlying content, removes it.

Security note: Covering text with a shape is not redaction: the hidden text remains in the file and can be selected, extracted or found by search. Use a redaction tool that removes content, then check the result by searching for the removed text.

Read the guide: How to Edit a PDF Without Uploading It

How to use Strikethrough PDF

  1. Drop a PDF.
  2. Drag across the words to cross out.
  3. Pick a colour.
  4. Click "Save PDF" and download.

Strikethrough PDF features

  • Line through the middle of every selected line
  • Colour and opacity
  • Standard StrikeOut annotation or flattened
  • Highlight and underline on the same toolbar
  • Local processing

Strikethrough PDF example

Mark a sentence for deletion

Input:

Drag over the sentence; red

Output:

draft-strikethrough.pdf — a StrikeOut annotation over two lines

Frequently asked questions about Strikethrough PDF

Does striking through remove the text?

No — it marks it. The text stays in the file and remains searchable. To remove text for good, use Redact PDF.

Can I add a comment explaining the change?

Yes: add a sticky note next to it with Add Notes to PDF, or use the full editor where both tools are on the same toolbar.

Is my PDF uploaded to a server?

No. The file is opened and processed by your browser with WebAssembly and JavaScript; nothing is sent to Mutqan Soft or anyone else. Close the tab and the file is gone. Downloading the result needs a free account — no subscription, no payment.

Can I use it on a password-protected PDF?

Yes, if you know the password: the file list asks for it once and every operation then works on the decrypted pages. The output is saved without a password unless you protect it again.

Technical notes

Same quad construction as the highlighter; the appearance stream strokes the middle of each quad. The text itself is not modified — see Redact PDF for removal.

References