Support teams, employees, teachers, and creators · 8 min read
How to redact a screenshot safely
A practical checklist for removing visible secrets, avoiding reversible overlays, flattening the export, and verifying the final image.
Start with a copy
Keep the original private and work on a duplicate. Review the entire frame, including browser tabs, notifications, bookmarks, background windows, QR codes, avatars, and reflections.
Use solid masks for secrets
Opaque rectangles are the safer choice for passwords, recovery codes, account numbers, addresses, document identifiers, and private messages. Ensure the mask covers the full glyphs plus surrounding anti-aliased edges.
Flatten the result
A reversible editor layer is not a safe export. Render the composed result into fresh image pixels so the hidden content is not merely covered by an editable object.
Review at full size
Zoom into the exported copy and check every edge. Then scan the file for hidden metadata and old embedded previews before sharing it.
Review checklist
- ✓ Use a copy
- ✓ Cover full edges
- ✓ Flatten into new pixels
- ✓ Rescan the output
- ✓ Share only the derivative
Put it into practice
Check the exact photo you plan to share
The scanner works locally and does not add your filename or extracted metadata to an analytics request.
Open the privacy check