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Redact a W-2 before you send itPage 1 of 3
Guide · redact W-2

Redact a W-2 before you send it

A W-2 shows your full Social Security number, your employer's EIN and your home address. A background check, rental or loan application usually needs the wages and the employer name, not every identifier. Re-Doc finds and removes the identifiers and keeps the figures readable.

Upload a file, first 10 pages freeSee pricing
Example

What Re-Doc changes

Orange boxes are what Re-Doc finds on its own. Scans and photos get permanent black boxes burned into the image.

1. Your documentw2_2025.pdf
Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statement
Tax year 2025 · Copy B
a Employee SSN623-81-4407
b Employer EIN47-1829930
e Employee nameJordan Hayes
f Address402 Birch Ln, Columbus OH
1 Wages$68,420.00
2. Safe to sharew2_2025_safe.pdf
Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statement
Tax year 2025 · Copy B
a Employee SSN623-81-4407
b Employer EIN47-1829930
e Employee nameJordan Hayes
f Address402 Birch Ln, Columbus OH
1 Wages$68,420.00
What to removePage 2 of 3
Checklist

What to remove, and what to keep

Usually removed

  • Box a: Social Security number: the most sensitive item on the form
  • Box b: employer EIN: if the requester does not need it
  • Box f: home address: when it is not required
  • Control number (box d): an internal payroll reference

Usually kept

  • Wages and tax boxes (1 to 6)
  • Employer name, if requested
  • The form layout
Tip

Some requesters ask you to leave the last four digits of the SSN. Tell Re-Doc "keep the last four digits of the SSN" in a custom instruction, then check the result.

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

01Is it OK to redact a W-2 for a background check?
Usually yes, but ask the requester which boxes they need. Many accept a W-2 with the SSN removed or reduced to the last four digits.
02Can I keep the last four digits of the SSN?
Yes. Add an instruction such as "keep only the last four digits of the SSN", then review the result before downloading.
03My W-2 is a photo from my phone. Does that work?
Yes. Photos and scans are read with OCR and get permanent black boxes.
04Is this tax or legal advice?
No. This page explains how to remove data from the document. Check with the requester or an advisor about what you must share.
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