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Anonymize interview transcripts for researchPage 1 of 3
Guide · anonymize interview transcripts

Anonymize interview transcripts for research

Qualitative research needs real quotes without real identities. Re-Doc replaces participant names, the people they mention, workplaces, places and contact details in transcripts, either with realistic pseudonyms that keep the quotes natural, or, for text files, with labels such as [PERSON_NAME].

Upload a file, first 10 pages freeSee pricing
Example

What Re-Doc changes

Orange boxes are what Re-Doc finds on its own. Text-based files keep their layout, and each real value is swapped for a realistic synthetic one.

1. Your documentP07_transcript.txt
Interview P07 transcript
Study on remote work · 42 min
ParticipantSarah Mitchell
EmployerBrightwave Logistics
Manager namedMr. Patel
TownHarrogate
Quote"I felt more trusted at home."
2. Safe to shareP07_transcript_safe.txt
Interview P07 transcript
Study on remote work · 42 min
ParticipantAnna Clarke
EmployerNorthgate Freight
Manager namedMr. Gordon
TownKendal
Quote"I felt more trusted at home."
What to replacePage 2 of 3
Checklist

What to replace, and what to keep

Usually replaced

  • Participant and third-party names: pseudonyms stay consistent across the transcript
  • Employers, schools and organisations: common indirect identifiers
  • Small towns and specific places: add them in an instruction if needed
  • Emails and phone numbers: often left in recruitment notes

Usually kept

  • What participants said
  • Timestamps and speaker turns
  • Your coding structure
Tip

Check your ethics approval for the agreed method. Some studies require labels such as [NAME] rather than pseudonyms; TXT files support both.

How it works

Three steps

  1. STEP 1

    Upload

    PDF, Word, TXT, scan or photo, up to 50 MB. Sign in with Google; the first 10 pages are free.

  2. STEP 2

    Review

    Re-Doc highlights every change. On scans you can add or remove boxes; for any file you can describe what to keep or remove in plain words.

  3. STEP 3

    Download

    Get the safe copy in the same format you uploaded, with the layout unchanged.

QuestionsPage 3 of 3

Frequently asked questions

01Pseudonyms or labels?
For Word and PDF transcripts Re-Doc uses realistic pseudonyms. For TXT transcripts you can choose labels such as [PERSON_NAME] or ████ blocks instead.
02Can I edit the result?
TXT transcripts can be edited directly before download. For Word and PDF, every change is highlighted and can be exported as a CSV list.
03Does it handle many transcripts?
Upload them one by one in the app, or use the API on paid plans for a whole study.
04Is anonymization enough for ethics review?
It is one step. Indirect details in what people say can still identify them, so read the output and follow your protocol.
Anonymize documents before you use them with AIRemove personal data from documents before you paste them into ChatGPT, Claude or other AI tools. Re-Doc swaps it for realistic synthetic values first.Pseudonymize documents and keep the key separatePseudonymize documents: replace identities with consistent synthetic values and keep a separate change list as the key. GDPR context and how to store it.Replace the names in a PDF or Word documentReplace every name in a PDF or Word document with a realistic fictional name, consistently across pages, without breaking the layout. First 10 pages free.All anonymization guides →