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How to Hide Your Aadhaar Number in a PDF (Mask the First 8 Digits)

By the PDF Swing team · Updated 28 September 2026 · 3 min read

Hotels, landlords and offices often ask for an Aadhaar copy when they only need to confirm your identity — not your full number. Sharing a masked copy, showing only the last four digits, limits how the number can be misused. Here are two good ways to do it and one common mistake to avoid.
Key takeaways
  • Where you can, download UIDAI’s official masked Aadhaar from the myAadhaar portal.
  • For other documents that show your Aadhaar, use Redact PDF with the Aadhaar pattern and Secure flatten.
  • Drawing a black box in an ordinary editor is not enough — the number can often still be copied out.
  • Check the whole document: the number can appear more than once, including in small print.
  • Redact PDF runs in your browser; your document isn’t uploaded.
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Option 1: UIDAI’s official masked Aadhaar

When downloading e-Aadhaar from UIDAI’s myAadhaar portal, you can choose a masked version, which shows only the last four digits of your number. It is issued by UIDAI and is the cleanest option whenever the recipient accepts masked Aadhaar. Keep the full version for places that genuinely need it.

Option 2: redact the number yourself

Your Aadhaar number also appears on other documents — application forms, bank KYC printouts, rental agreements. Open Redact PDF and select the file. Under Auto-detect patterns, choose Aadhaar and press “Scan page & review matches”. The tool highlights 12-digit Aadhaar-style numbers; review each match and keep the ones you want redacted.

To mask only the first eight digits, draw a box by clicking and dragging over those digits instead of redacting the whole number. Check every page with the page arrows — the number often appears in more than one place.

Use Secure flatten, not a simple black box

Choose Secure flatten under Output mode before pressing Redact & Download. It burns the redaction into the page, so the covered digits are permanently gone and can’t be copied, searched or recovered.

The Overlay option — and black rectangles drawn in ordinary PDF editors — only place a shape on top. The text is still underneath, and anyone can often select and copy it. This is the most common redaction mistake.

Check the result

Open the redacted PDF and try to select the area you covered. With Secure flatten there is no text to select. Search the document for the digits you removed; nothing should be found. Share this copy, and keep your original somewhere private.

Other details worth hiding before you share

Aadhaar is the obvious one, but the same care applies to other identifiers. PAN numbers on tax documents, full bank account numbers on cancelled cheques or statements, phone numbers and email addresses on application forms, and your signature on documents shared only for reference.

Redact PDF’s auto-detect list includes PAN, phone numbers, emails, dates and card numbers, so you can find and review all of them in one pass. Only redact what the recipient doesn’t need — hiding a detail they require just gets the document sent back.

Doing it on your phone

Redact PDF works in a mobile browser. Open the PDF from your Downloads or WhatsApp folder, use the Aadhaar pattern or draw boxes with your finger, keep Secure flatten selected and download the redacted copy. Share that copy — not the original — in the chat or email.

What to do next

Remove numbers permanently with Redact PDF’s Secure flatten mode.

Add a password with Protect PDF before emailing the redacted copy.

Add a tiled line like “For KYC only” with Watermark PDF so the copy can’t be reused elsewhere.

If your e-Aadhaar is password-protected, remove the password with Unlock PDF first.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is a masked Aadhaar valid?

UIDAI issues masked Aadhaar showing the last four digits, and many services accept it for identity checks. Use the full copy only where it is specifically required.

Why isn’t a black box enough?

A box drawn on top can leave the number in the PDF’s text layer, where it can be copied. Secure flatten removes it permanently.

Can Redact PDF find my Aadhaar number automatically?

Yes. The Aadhaar pattern finds 12-digit Aadhaar-style numbers; review the matches before redacting.

Does redaction work on scanned Aadhaar copies?

Yes. Draw a box over the digits and use Secure flatten; it removes that area of the image permanently.

Is my Aadhaar uploaded?

No. Redact PDF works in your browser, so the document stays on your device.

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