Word processors reflow text when you delete a sentence — surrounding text shifts up to close the gap. PDFs don't work that way. Redacting a sentence in a PDF leaves the surrounding layout exactly as it was, with the sentence replaced by a black bar.
That's actually what you want for most documents. Flint's redaction preserves this naturally.
PDFs don't reflow
PDF is a fixed-layout format. Text is positioned at exact coordinates on each page. Redacting a phrase doesn't move other text — the phrase's position is replaced by a black mark, and everything around it stays where it always was. This is a feature: page numbering, line breaks, references all remain correct.
Why this matters for legal and formal documents
Court filings often require redactions to be visually obvious without disturbing surrounding text — line numbers, paragraph numbers, references should still align. Flint gives you exactly this: redacted sections show black bars in place; surrounding content is byte-for-byte identical to the original.
When you DO want reflow
If you want the redacted version to look 'natural' — as if the redacted text was never there — you need to edit the source document and re-export. Reflow isn't a PDF operation; it requires the original Word/Pages/Docs file. Redaction in the PDF is the right approach when you want visible evidence of redaction.
Adjacent text considerations
Sometimes redacted text was the entire content of a line. The line becomes a black bar of the right length, but the line itself remains (with that bar). The layout doesn't collapse. Recipients see exactly which line had content and which didn't, which is usually the right behaviour.
FAQ
Will redaction change page count?
No. Pages stay where they are. Content within pages is altered.
Does redaction change file size?
Slightly — original text removed plus overlay added. Net change is usually small.
Can I make the redaction less visible?
You can use white overlays (less visible than black) but that's controversial in formal redaction. Black is standard.
What if I want full reflow?
Edit the source document and re-export. PDF can't reflow.
Black bars where content was, layout untouched. Redact keeping format.