Redact unnecessary personal information before sending text to AI
When asking ChatGPT to draft an email or summarize text, you may not need to include someone's name or email address. Redacting details before pasting helps you limit the information you provide. You can use the same preparation before sending text to Claude, Gemini, or Copilot.
Safe to Share is a free tool that replaces selected text with a mask. Your input is processed in your browser and is not sent to a server. There is no automatic personal information detection; you select each detail to hide yourself.
Example: preparing an inquiry before asking for an email reply
This fictional email asks about a delayed delivery. To request a draft reply about the delivery date, you can hide the name, address, email address, and order number while keeping the main issue.
Original text (fictional example)
My name is Hanako Yamada. My order SAMPLE-1234 has not arrived, even though the expected delivery date has passed. Delivery address: 1-2-3 Example Street, Sample City Contact: hanako@example.com Please let me know when it will arrive. Hanako Yamada
Text with selected details replaced by [MASK]
My name is [MASK]. My order [MASK] has not arrived, even though the expected delivery date has passed. Delivery address: [MASK] Contact: [MASK] Please let me know when it will arrive. [MASK]
The name appears twice: at the beginning and in the signature. Select both occurrences; matching text is not automatically replaced elsewhere. You can also select order numbers or any other text you do not want to share, whether or not it is personal information.
A prompt to accompany the redacted text
Please draft a reply to the inquiry below, saying that we will check the delivery status and get back to the customer. [MASK] represents hidden information. Keep it as written and do not guess what it means.
After receiving the draft, check the intended recipient and add any necessary details yourself. If several people appear in the text, using the same mask for everyone may make their roles hard to follow. You can also shorten and reorganize the text before sending it to AI.
How to redact personal information in a prompt
- Paste your text into Safe to Share and choose “Start editing.”
- Drag across names, contact details, and other text to hide. If your device shows “Hide selection,” use that button to confirm the selection.
- Read through signatures and quoted messages, selecting each detail you want to hide.
- Check the replacement text. The default is
[MASK]. Changing it applies the same replacement to all selected ranges. - Choose “Copy,” then check the text in the destination input field before sending it.
See the user guide for detailed instructions.
What to check before pasting into ChatGPT or another AI tool
- Are names, addresses, email addresses, or phone numbers still present in signatures or quoted text?
- Does the text contain unnecessary confidential details, such as company names, client names, project names, or unpublished amounts?
- Does the remaining text still explain the task you want the AI to perform?
- Could someone's organization, background, or a combination of detailed events reveal their identity?
This process hides only the text you select. Even text you intended to anonymize may still allow someone to infer a person's identity from the remaining context. Redaction alone does not guarantee complete anonymity.
Processing text in Safe to Share and subsequently sending it to an AI service are separate actions. Before sending the copied text to an external service, check that service's rules and your organization's policies for handling information.
Preparing text to share with people
You can also redact inquiries or chat histories before showing them to someone else. How to hide personal and confidential information before sharing text shows an example that preserves the flow of a conversation.
Read About Safe to Share for details on processing and storage. Start redacting text