Help
Help & guides
Everything you need for your first verified copy, and what to do when something gets in the way.
Your first redaction
- 01
Open a document
Drag a PDF or a scan onto the window, or use Open With from Finder or Explorer.
- 02
Pick a rule set
Choose a template for your line of work or your own rule set; suggestions appear as boxes.
- 03
Review every box
Approve, ignore or redraw. Use the comparison view to see exactly which pages change.
- 04
Save & verify
Choose a folder. RedactFirst saves the copy and its report only after all six checks pass.
System requirements
- macOS
- macOS 12 or later, Apple silicon or Intel (one universal app)
- Windows
- Windows 10 (64-bit) or Windows 11, x64; Windows 11 on Arm runs the x64 build
- Files
- PDF (also password-protected), PNG, JPEG, TIFF
- Network
- Only for license activation, error reports and optional template updates
Keyboard shortcuts
- Tab
- Next suggestion
- Enter
- Accept suggestion
- Backspace
- Ignore suggestion
- Arrow keys
- Move the selected box
- Delete
- Remove the selected box
- ⌘ + / ⌘ −
- Zoom in / out (Ctrl on Windows)
- ⌘ 0 / ⌘ 9
- Fit page / fit width
- ⌘ /
- Show every shortcut
Common questions
A copy was held back. What now?
A check found removed text still in the file. The app shows which text, masked, and on which page. Review that page, add or widen the box, and save again.
The PDF asks for a password.
Enter it when RedactFirst asks. It is kept in memory only while the file is open and is never saved.
Text on a scan was not found.
Recognition depends on scan quality. Draw a box by hand, or search for the word and mark every match.
I need to move my license to a new computer.
On the old computer, choose Remove license from this computer in Settings > License, then enter the key on the new one. If the old computer is lost or broken, write to us and we will free its activation.
Still stuck?
Write to us. A person answers within one business day.