How to edit (erase) portions of a PDF scanned document?

[patriciab4550006]

I've just downloaded Acrobat DC and am trying to use it to edit a previously-scanned B&W document (the document is a PDF large-format scan of a sewing pattern -- just line drawings and text). 

What I want to do is delete (or at least mask out) a small portion of some of the detail on that scanned document in order to insert new text or make other corrections.  I can't seem to find a tool anywhere on Acrobat DC that will allow me to select a small section of the PDF image and erase that portion of the image within the selected boundaries, the way I can with Microsoft Paint for example. 

Is there an "eraser" tool I'm missing?  Or some other method to select and erase/delete a small portion of a PDF image?  I definitely do not want to change the overall dimensions of the image, or affect the rest of the image at all by erasing a portion -- just mask the section to white.

I'd be grateful for any help with this.  If I can't get this to work, I'm going to have to cancel my trial subscription to Acrobat, because it's useless to me otherwise.   Thanks!

[Bernd Alheit · Accepted solution]

Use the Redaction Tool.

[patriciab4550006]

Thank you so much!  This was the solution.  I couldn't believe Adobe wouldn't have an editing tool to mask out portions of documents.

I noticed that when I saved the document, the size automatically changed from the original PDF scan of about 1.5MB to about 9600 KB.  Would you have any idea why?  The file size change didn't appear to change the actual dimensions of the drawings within the scan.

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

When you modified the file, Acrobat may have changed the compression method that was used for your images and therefore expanded the file size. You can try to optimize your document via Tools>Enhance Scans>Enhance>Scanned Document - when you then click on the "Settings" button, you can specify how to compress images. When you select "Adaptive Compression", you will end up with a much smaller file. If image quality is important, make sure that you select only lossless compression formats.

[stumpffiddle]

And where might the redaction tool be? 

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

In Adobe Acrobat Pro DC bring up the "Tools" page and type "Redact" into the search bar and you will find it. Anytime you are looking for a tool in Acrobat DC and cannot remember where exactly it is, use the tool search function. If you have Acrobat Standard, then you do not have the redaction tool.

[stumpffiddle]

I'm interested in erasing text and images and then be able to insert new text in the space erased.  After using the redaction tool, the area that I selected and redacted then appears to be permanently blank, i.e., I can insert text there with the fill and sign tool, but when I revert to the view document or print it, the redacted area remains blank nonetheless.

Any way to erase and then insert something new?  Is there a redaction tool setting I can use that will allow putting new text (or images) in the redacted area?

I'm dealing with forms that have been partially completed with handwriting, so the text recognition in the edit PDF mode doesn't seem to be viable.

[Bernd Alheit]

Right-mouse click and use Add Text

[gkaiseril]

If you use the Redaction tool you can change the properties of each marked redaction item and set the background color and text. The redaction tool has the option to remove and replace with certain text and the text options can be extended if you have a standard text that is frequently used.

Acrolaw Blog Redaction articles.

[Sherri Roth]

I recently had a document that had some writing in the margins that I needed to erase. This is what I did:

Edit pdf - on sidebar, under OBJECTS, Select Edit Using...and then select Microsoft Paint - Select the ERASER and then hold mouse and scroll over the parts you want to erase. SAVE. CLOSE - you will return to your pdf with the parts erased GONE.

[Steven Herrmann]

You Sherri deserve an AWARD! :1st_place_medal:Thank you!

THIS is the correct answer.

Why can there only be one? Who decides this? Is it because he's a community expert?

Even the correct answer has no upvotes. His answer needs to be redacted.

[Creamer Training]

There can certainly be multiple correct answers. Usually it's up to the OP to mark correct the answer that helped them.