How to redact a screenshot

The fastest safe method, the built-in tools on every major device, and a sixty-second check that catches the mistakes that make redactions leak.

The quick way (any device)

  1. Take the screenshot as usual.
  2. Open the BlurShot redaction editor and paste (Ctrl/⌘+V) or choose the file.
  3. Keep Solid box selected and drag over each item. Use Blur only for things like faces or background clutter.
  4. Press Download PNG. The file is flat, with no layers and no metadata.

iPhone and iPad

  1. Take the screenshot and tap the thumbnail, or open it in Photos and tap Edit, then the markup (pen tip) icon.
  2. Tap +, choose the square shape, then set it to a filled style and black colour.
  3. Drag the box over the text, resize it to cover fully, and tap Done.

Avoid the highlighter: it is translucent. If you use the pen, several overlapping strokes still leave gaps between them.

Android

  1. Tap Edit on the screenshot preview, or open it in Google Photos and tap Edit, then Markup.
  2. Pixel phones offer a pen and highlighter; Samsung's editor adds shapes. Use a filled shape where available, or a thick pen at full opacity with overlapping strokes.
  3. Save as a copy and zoom in to check the edges.

Windows

  1. Press Win+Shift+S to capture. The screenshot goes to the clipboard.
  2. Snipping Tool has pens but no blur. Paste into BlurShot instead, or into Paint and draw a filled rectangle.
  3. Save as PNG. Do not paste the original into a Word or PowerPoint file and cover it with a shape: the original stays underneath.

Mac

  1. Press ⌘+Shift+4, then click the thumbnail to open markup, or open the file in Preview.
  2. Choose the rectangle, set the fill colour to black, and draw over each item.
  3. In Preview, use File, Export and pick PNG to flatten the result.

The sixty-second leak check

  • Search the whole image for repeats. Names and emails turn up in headers, signatures, avatars, URL bars and browser tab titles.
  • Check the edges of each box. The tops of tall letters and the tails of g, j, p, q, y often peek out.
  • Watch for context. A redacted name next to "Dear" and a visible department can be enough to identify someone.
  • Choose box over blur for secrets. Here is why blur can be reversed.
  • Mind the metadata. Screenshots carry little, but photos of documents taken with a phone include location. See the EXIF guide.

Questions people ask

Is the iPhone markup pen safe for redaction?

Use the filled rectangle shape with full opacity, not the pen or highlighter. Several pen strokes can leave gaps, and highlighter strokes are translucent. Since iOS 17 markup is flattened when saved, but check the result zoomed in before sharing.

Does Windows Snipping Tool have a blur?

No. Snipping Tool offers pens and a highlighter, which are not safe for redaction; newer versions add shapes you can fill. For a real blur or solid box, open the screenshot in BlurShot.

How do I redact a screenshot on a Mac?

Open it in Preview, choose Tools, Annotate, Rectangle, set the fill to black and draw over the text. Export as PNG to flatten it. Or paste the screenshot straight into BlurShot with Cmd+V.

Can the person I send it to remove my redaction?

Not if the redaction was flattened into the pixels with a solid fill. They can if you sent an editable file (PDF, PowerPoint, some markup formats) with a shape on top, or if you used blur or pixelation on short text.