UnlimitedPDF

X-Ray · free online · never uploaded

Find hidden text in a PDF — free X-Ray, no upload

Scan a PDF for hidden text, fake redactions, leftover versions, JavaScript, attachments, and metadata. The file never leaves this tab.

  • Never uploaded
  • No size limit
  • No account
  • No watermark

Why people use PDF X-Ray without uploading

Covering text with a white rectangle is not redaction. Incremental saves can leave yesterday’s wording in the file. Metadata can still name the author. If you are about to send a PDF that was “cleaned” in a hurry, X-Ray is a second pair of eyes that runs on your machine — a server-side scanner would see the secrets while checking for them.

How to use PDF X-Ray on this page

  1. Drop a PDF.
  2. Wait for the report: leftover incremental saves, invisible or white text, text sitting under painted boxes, JavaScript / open actions, attachments, form values, layers, identity metadata, and EXIF/GPS in embedded JPEGs.
  3. Download the findings as a text report if you want a copy. The PDF itself is not altered.

What this tool keeps — and what it does not

X-Ray is a scanner, not a cleaner. It tells you what is still in the bytes. If you need a visual-only copy, Compress at High flattens pages — that still is not a certified redaction workflow, and it will not impress a records officer. For real redaction, use a dedicated redaction tool that removes content streams, then X-Ray the output to verify.

Limits, failed files, and honest tradeoffs

Heuristic coverage (canvas sampling under “white boxes”) can miss clever hiding and can flag dense layouts. Encrypted files cannot be opened. We do not send findings anywhere.

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PDF tools FAQ

How do I find hidden text in a PDF?
Drop the file on PDF X-Ray. It scans in your browser for invisible and white text, text under painted boxes, leftover incremental saves, JavaScript, attachments, and metadata, then gives you a downloadable report.
What does X-Ray look for?
Leftover incremental saves (earlier wording still in the bytes), invisible and white text, text sitting under a painted “redaction”, JavaScript and open actions, embedded files, form values, layers, identity metadata, and EXIF or GPS data in embedded JPEGs.
Are the findings always right?
No, they are heuristics. In our tests X-Ray correctly found covered text, white text, an earlier saved version, and GPS data in an embedded photo, but it also flagged a page transition as something that runs when the file opens. Check each finding against the page.
Does this delete the hidden data?
No. X-Ray is a scanner, not a cleaner. Use a real redaction tool, then scan the output again. Compress on High flattens pages into images for a visual-only copy, but that is not a certified redaction workflow.
Will you see what is hidden in my PDF?
No. The scan runs in your browser, and the findings stay on your device.