How to Redact Text in WordPress (The Easy Way)

One of the most common challenges in running a WordPress site is balancing transparency with privacy. You want to share valuable content and case studies. But you also need to protect sensitive client information, financial data, and confidential details.

That’s where text redaction comes in.

Redaction means hiding or removing sensitive information from a document before sharing it. It helps protect private data, follow privacy laws, and keep confidential details safe. You can even use it alongside a paywall to give partial access without revealing everything.

After working with hundreds of WordPress sites, we’ve discovered a reliable plugin that makes redaction much easier. And in this guide, we’ll show you the easiest way to redact text in WordPress. ✅

Why Redact Text in WordPress?

Redaction means hiding sensitive parts of a text, usually by blacking them out. It helps you share documents with others while keeping private information protected.

This way, you can still share real-world examples without breaking your privacy policy.

For example, if you’re a blogger trying to show visitors how to write a great CV, then you might want to include a few examples of real CVs you’ve received. You can use redaction to block out each applicant’s name, address, and other personal information.

Note that when you redact text, that content still exists in your WordPress dashboard. This means you can easily remove the redaction at any point.

Redaction can also be a great way to preview content for your WordPress membership site. Visitors can then buy a membership to remove the redaction and enjoy the full, uncensored version.

With that in mind, we’ll show you how to easily redact text on your WordPress website. Here’s a quick overview of all the topics we’ll cover in this guide:

How to Redact Text in WordPress

The easiest way to redact text in WordPress is with the Eyes Only plugin. It works by replacing any redacted text with a black block.

Now, if a visitor highlights the block, then they’ll simply see the word REDACTED in white letters.

Here’s an example of how this might look:

Another option is to automatically replace any word or phrase with an alternative. For example, if you can’t use a client’s name on your small business website, then you might want to replace the information with a more general word like ‘client.’

To get started, you’ll need to install and activate the plugin. If you need help, then please see our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, you can redact any text by editing the HTML in the WordPress code editor.

So, the first thing you want to do is open a page or post from your WordPress admin area. Then, click on the dotted icon in the top right corner and choose ‘Code editor.’

Next, you’ll find the piece of text that you want to redact.

And at the start of the text, you’ll want to type in the following tag:

[redact]

Now, let’s look at the end of the redacted text.

Here, you’ll type in:

[/redact]

For this guide, we’re hiding a recipient’s name by changing it to ‘the Recipient.’

Here’s what it might look like in your code editor:

To redact more text, just repeat the same process described above.

If you want to switch back to the block editor at any point, you can simply click on the ‘Exit code editor’ button.

After adding tags to all the text you want to redact, you can go ahead and publish or update the page.

Do note that the text won’t appear redacted while you’re logged into your WordPress account. To check that the text is redacted, you’ll either need to log out of your account or visit the page in an incognito tab in your web browser.

Another option is to automatically replace specific words with alternative words. This is helpful for hiding frequently mentioned terms on your WordPress site, like a confidential supplier or customer.

By configuring the plugin to redact a word automatically, you can ensure that information never appears on your website. This automated workflow can save you a lot of time and effort.

Plus, since it replaces each redacted word with an alternative word, this method can make your pages easier to read and nicer to look at. Particularly when compared to a page with lots of blacked-out content.

To redact a word or phrase automatically, you can head over to Settings » Eyes Only. Then, go ahead and click on the ‘Add new’ button.

In the ‘Text’ field, simply type the text you want to redact automatically. Just be aware that the text replacement is case-sensitive, so be wary of your capitalization.

Next, you can type the text you want to show into the ‘Replacement’ field.

For example, here, we’re replacing ‘Jane Smith’ with ‘Our Client.’

Once done, you can go ahead and click on the ‘Add’ button.

If you want to replace more words or phrases automatically, then simply repeat the process.

Now, as we’ve already mentioned, text replacement is case-sensitive. If you want to redact a word, whether it’s capitalized or not, you’ll need to create two separate text replacement rules.

One of these rules should replace the capitalized version, and another should replace the uncapitalized version, like so:

When you’re satisfied with the redaction rules you’ve created, you can click the ‘Save Changes’ button at the bottom of the screen.

The plugin will then scan your site and automatically replace any matches that it finds.

If, at some point, you no longer want to hide a particular word or phrase, you can simply delete the redaction rule. This will automatically remove the masking and show the original words across your WordPress blog or site.

To delete a redaction rule, you’ll want to navigate to Settings » Eyes Only.

Then, just hover the mouse over the rule you want to delete and click the ‘Delete’ link when it appears.

You will need to confirm that you want to delete the rule.

If you still want to, go ahead and click ‘Yes.’

Finally, go ahead and click the ‘Save Changes’ button at the bottom.

Now, if you visit any post or page with the original word, you’ll see that the plugin is no longer redacting the text.

Bonus: Creative Ways to Use Redacted Text in WordPress

Redacting text doesn’t have to be limited to hiding sensitive information. Here are some innovative ways you can use redacted text to boost your site:

• Interactive Quizzes and Games: Create fun challenges by redacting parts of a story or trivia questions and encouraging users to guess the missing words.
• Content Teasers: Use redaction to hide sections of premium content. This can serve as a subtle call to action (CTA), enticing visitors to sign up or pay for full access.
• Educational Tools: In eLearning contexts like online courses or coaching programs, redact key terms to make flashcards or study materials more engaging for learners.
• Mystery Blog Posts: Build excitement for an upcoming announcement or event by redacting crucial details and revealing them later.

By exploring these creative ideas, you can turn a practical tool into an opportunity to engage your audience and make your content stand out.

FAQs: How to Redact Text in WordPress

Got questions about redacting or hiding content on your WordPress site? Here are some quick answers to help you stay in control of what your visitors see:

Can I redact text in WordPress without a plugin?

Yes, you can manually redact text using custom HTML and CSS. But plugins like Eyes Only make things a lot easier.

Can visitors see redacted text through the browser’s inspect tool?

Technically, yes. If you’re only hiding text using CSS, someone can still access it through browser developer tools. For better privacy, it’s a good idea to limit who can see the content, like showing it only to registered or logged-in users.

How can I test the redaction effect?

You can log out of your WordPress account or open the page in an incognito window. This helps you view the page as a regular visitor and confirm that the redacted text is truly hidden.

How do I cross out text in WordPress?

You can use the built-in formatting options in the WordPress content editor. Just highlight the text and click the Strikethrough button (usually under the formatting toolbar).

You can also wrap the text in <del> tags if you’re comfortable using HTML.

Will redaction affect my site’s SEO?

No, redacting small sections of sensitive content won’t hurt your WordPress SEO, as long as the rest of your page remains useful, relevant, and optimized.

Extra Resources: More Tips and Tricks to Improve WordPress Blog

We hope this article has helped you learn how to redact text in WordPress. You may also want to check out our guides on:

• How to Display Popular Posts by Views in WordPress
• How to List Future Upcoming Scheduled Posts in WordPress
• How to Add Custom Post Status for Blog Posts in WordPress
• How to Add a Printer-Friendly Option to Your WordPress Posts
• How to Display Estimated Post Reading Time in Your WordPress Posts
• How to Quickly Generate 100+ Blog Post Ideas
• Best AI Prompts for Bloggers, Marketers, and Social Media
• Must-See SEO Guide for All Bloggers

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.