How to redact a pay stub before sharing a copy
What to black out on a pay stub (and what to keep) before you hand over a copy, plus a recommended watermark — done on-device, nothing uploaded.
Black out social Security number / national ID, employee ID and direct-deposit / bank details, home address on your pay stub; keep your name and the employer name visible. Add a "For [purpose] only" watermark and export a flattened PDF from your iPhone — nothing uploaded.
What a pay stub reveals
A pay stub shows your earnings and employer, and usually your address and a partial or full SSN or employee ID. Landlords and lenders ask for recent stubs as proof of income.
A stub combines your SSN, employer, and pay — a near-complete profile for identity and employment fraud.
What to redact
- Social Security number / national ID Stubs often print part or all of your SSN — black it out.
- Employee ID and direct-deposit / bank details These identify you in payroll systems and expose your bank account.
- Home address Not needed to prove income.
What to keep visible
- Your name
- The employer name, if you are proving employment
- Gross/net pay and the pay period
Redact your pay stub in 4 steps
- Pick the photo. Open Cachera and choose the photo of your pay stub with the system picker — only that photo is read, never your whole library.
- Black out the sensitive fields. Drag a black block over the social Security number / national ID and employee ID and direct-deposit / bank details. On export the pixels are destroyed — nothing is recoverable underneath.
- Add a purpose watermark. Stamp who the copy is for, e.g. "For [purpose] only", so it can't be reused elsewhere.
- Export and share. Lay it out on A4, export a PDF, and share it. Everything stays on your iPhone — nothing is uploaded.
FAQ
What should I black out on a pay stub?
Hide social Security number / national ID, employee ID and direct-deposit / bank details, home address. Keep your name and the employer name visible so the copy is still useful.
Is it safe to send a copy of my pay stub?
Only a redacted one. A stub combines your SSN, employer, and pay — a near-complete profile for identity and employment fraud. Black out the sensitive fields, add a purpose watermark, and share a flattened copy so it can't be reused.
Can redacted areas be recovered from the file?
No. Cachera flattens the black blocks into the image on export — there is no layer beneath them, so the covered details cannot be recovered from the PDF.
Redact it now — on your iPhone, nothing uploaded
Cachera blacks out the pixels for good, stamps a purpose watermark, and exports a print-ready PDF. Fully offline.