How to Redact an Email in Outlook
Outlook has no built-in redaction tool, and highlighting text black does not remove it. Here is the safe, GDPR-compliant way to redact sensitive data from Outlook emails before you share them.
- Microsoft Outlook
- PST & MSG
- SAR / DSAR ready
Can you redact an email directly in Outlook?
Not safely. Outlook is an email client, not a redaction tool: there is no feature that permanently removes text from a message. The reliable approach is to take the email out of Outlook and redact it properly:
Permanently removes the underlying text, not just a visual cover
Handles attachments and forwarded threads, where data often hides
Lets you redact many emails at once via a .pst export
Produces an audit log to evidence the redaction for compliance
The secure way to redact an Outlook email
1
Save the email out of Outlook
Open the email and choose File → Save As → Outlook Message Format (.msg). To redact a whole folder at once, use File → Open & Export → Import/Export to create a .pst file. RedactBox reads both formats, including attachments.
2
Upload to RedactBox
Create a project and drag your .msg or .pst file in. RedactBox parses the message body, headers, and attachments so nothing sensitive is hidden in metadata or a forwarded thread.
3
Search and redact
Type a name, email address, or reference and bulk-redact every match across all emails at once. Redaction permanently removes the underlying text; it is not a visual overlay.
4
Export an audit-ready PDF
Export a flattened PDF where redacted content is gone from the file, accompanied by a full audit log of every redaction, ready to disclose for a SAR, DSAR or FOI request.
Outlook redaction FAQs
Can you redact an email in Outlook?
Is highlighting text black in Outlook secure redaction?
How do I redact an Outlook email for a Subject Access Request (SAR)?
How do I redact multiple Outlook emails at once?
Redact your first Outlook email free
Upload a .msg or .pst export and produce a clean, audit-ready PDF in minutes.