How to Redact Email Archives

Learn professional email redaction techniques for GDPR compliance and data protection

What is Email Redaction?

Email redaction is the process of permanently removing or obscuring sensitive information from existing email archives that have been exported from email platforms. This is essential when processing .mbox files for legal discovery, FOI requests, or compliance purposes where sensitive data needs to be protected before sharing or archiving.

Manual vs Automated Email Redaction

Manual Redaction

  • Time-consuming and error-prone

    Each .mbox file email must be reviewed individually

  • Limited to basic tools

    Export to PDF, then manually black out text

  • No specialized .mbox support

    Most tools can't process email archives efficiently

Automated Redaction

  • Process entire .mbox archives quickly

    Bulk processing of hundreds of exported emails

  • Native .mbox file support

    Designed specifically for email archive processing

  • Professional PDF exports

    Generate shareable documents from redacted email archives

How RedactBox Simplifies Email Redaction

1. Upload

Upload your .mbox email files directly to our secure platform

2. Review & Redact

Use our intuitive interface to highlight and redact sensitive content

3. Export

Download professional PDFs with all redactions permanently applied

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Common Email Redaction Use Cases

Legal & Compliance

  • Subject Access Requests (SAR)
  • Freedom of Information (FOI) requests
  • Legal discovery and litigation
  • GDPR compliance documentation

Education & Public Sector

  • Student record protection
  • Staff email archives
  • Public information requests
  • Regulatory compliance reporting

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get emails from Gmail or Outlook for redaction?

You need to export your emails from Gmail, Outlook, or other email platforms as .mbox files. These exported archives can then be uploaded to RedactBox for processing, redaction, and conversion to shareable PDFs.


What file formats does RedactBox support?

RedactBox is specifically designed for .mbox files, which is the standard format for email archives exported from Gmail, Outlook, and most email platforms. Upload your .mbox files to process and redact them.


Is RedactBox reliable for compliance and legal use?

RedactBox provides professional-grade redaction tools designed for compliance with GDPR, FOI requests, and legal discovery. The platform allows precise manual redaction control while streamlining the workflow for processing large email archives.