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I know a text can be unredacted but can pictures too? I have a picture I would love to unredact can that be done? Please and Thank you.

Bela Cachoeira Rara
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    Does this answer your question? [Is it possible for someone to see under the "blacked out" part of this image (see below)?](https://security.stackexchange.com/questions/161436/is-it-possible-for-someone-to-see-under-the-blacked-out-part-of-this-image-se), [Can you recover original data from a screenshot that has been 'blacked out'?](https://security.stackexchange.com/questions/67295/) – Steffen Ullrich Jan 29 '21 at 14:02
  • Most image editors replace the original pixel. – defalt Jan 29 '21 at 14:36
  • Normally, redactions should be impossible to 'unredact'. But, there have been a number of well known occasions where redactions were done improperly, and it was later found that it was possible to expose the underlying information. See https://www.vice.com/en/article/8xpye3/paul-manafort-russia-case-redaction-fail for one infamous example. – mti2935 Jan 29 '21 at 16:12

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It depends on the type of image file. If it is an image inside of a .pdf and only "blacked out" with an object it might be possible, as it's only a layer above the original image. Same goes for a .xcf(Gimp) or .psd(Photoshop) file or simliar file formats with multiple layers. Even a .tif could possibly contain multiple layers. In all cases the redaction/black bar must be a seperate layer.

If you have a .jpeg, .png or simliar I guess you are out of luck. Depending on the type of redaction you may get something out of swirrled, pixelated or blurred redactions, also depending on the destructiveness and available tools.

If the 2nd is the case an no layers to seperate are available (and if it's not privacy violating) you may make a snipping of the redacted area available for further help.

flexivity
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