How to Hide Personal Information

Last Updated: January 30, 2026

What is Anonymization?#

Have you ever played a game where you had to keep a secret? Anonymization is like that, but for personal information on a computer.

Anonymization means hiding personal information so nobody can see it.

Imagine you wrote a story about your friend, but you don't want anyone to know who they are. You would hide their name, phone number, and email. That's what this tool does!

Personal information includes things like:

• Names (like "Sarah Johnson")
• Email addresses (like "sarah@email.com")
• Phone numbers (like "555-123-4567")
• Home addresses
• Credit card numbers

Getting Started#

1. Go to anonym.legal
2. Click "Anonymizer" in the menu
3. Paste or type your text
4. Choose how you want to hide the information
5. Click the button and you're done!

The 5 Ways to Hide Information#

Think of these as 5 different tools in your toolbox. Each one hides information in a different way.

1. Replace#

What it does: Swaps personal information with different text.

Think of it like using a nickname instead of a real name.

Example:

• Before: "John Smith sent an email to sarah@email.com"
• After: "[NAME] sent an email to [EMAIL]"

When to use it:

• When you still want people to understand what the text is about
• When you want to show that something was hidden

2. Redact#

What it does: Removes the information completely. It's just gone!

Think of it like erasing something with a big eraser.

Example:

• Before: "Call John at 555-123-4567"
• After: "Call at"

When to use it:

• When you want maximum privacy
• When you don't need people to know something was there

3. Mask#

What it does: Covers part of the information with stars (****), like when you type a password.

Think of it like putting tape over part of a word but leaving some letters visible.

Example:

• Before: "John Doe"
• After: "J*** D**"
• Before: "sarah@email.com"
• After: "s****@email.com"

When to use it:

• When you want to show what type of information it is
• When you need to hide most of it but show a little bit

4. Hash#

What it does: Turns information into a secret code that looks like random letters and numbers. The code can NEVER be turned back into the original.

Think of it like putting something through a magic blender. You can never un-blend it!

Example:

• Before: "sarah@email.com"
• After: "a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8..." (a long string of random-looking characters)

When to use it:

• When you want to hide something forever
• When you never need to see the original again
• When you want the same input to always make the same code

Important: Once you hash something, you can never get it back. It's permanent!

5. Encrypt#

What it does: Locks information with a special key. If you have the key, you can unlock it later.

Think of it like putting a secret message in a locked box. Only someone with the key can open the box and read the message.

Example:

• Before: "John Smith"
• After: <ENCRYPTED>x9y8z7w6v5...</ENCRYPTED>
• With the key: "John Smith" (back to normal!)

When to use it:

• When you want to hide something now but might need it back later
• When you want to share hidden information with someone who has the key

How Encryption Keys Work#

An encryption key is like a password for your locked box.

Rules for Keys:#

• Keys must be exactly 16, 24, or 32 characters long
• You MUST use the same key to unlock (decrypt) that you used to lock (encrypt)
• Keep your keys safe and secret!

Creating a Key:#

1. Go to Settings then Encryption Keys
2. Click "Add Key"
3. Give your key a name (like "My Secret Key")
4. Type in your key OR let the computer make one for you
5. Save it!

Example:#

• Your key: "mysecretpassword" (16 characters)
• You encrypt "John Smith" with this key
• Later, you use the SAME key to get "John Smith" back

Remember: If you lose your key, you cannot get your information back. It's like losing the only key to a locked box!

How to Unlock (Decrypt) Information#

If you used encryption, you can unlock it later:

1. Go to Deanonymize in the menu
2. Paste the encrypted text (the stuff with <ENCRYPTED> around it)
3. Pick the same key you used to encrypt it
4. Click "Deanonymize"
5. Your original text appears!

This only works for encrypted information. You cannot unlock:

• Redacted information (it was deleted)
• Hashed information (it's permanent)
• Masked information (those stars replaced real letters)
• Replaced information (the original was swapped out)

What Are Tokens?#

Tokens are like coins you spend when you use the tool.

• Every time you hide information, it costs some tokens
• Simple operations cost fewer tokens
• Bigger texts cost more tokens
• You get tokens with your account

Tip: Analyze your text first, then hide the information. This uses fewer tokens than doing everything at once!

Troubleshooting#

Problem: Encryption isn't working#

Check these things:

• Is your key exactly 16, 24, or 32 characters? It must be one of these lengths!
• Did you pick the right key?
• Did you choose "Encrypt" and not "Hash"? They look similar but work very differently!

Problem: I can't unlock my encrypted text#

Check these things:

• Are you using the exact same key you used to encrypt?
• Does the text have <ENCRYPTED> around it? If not, it wasn't encrypted
• Was it hashed instead? Hashed text can NEVER be unlocked

Problem: Nothing is being hidden#

Check these things:

• Did the tool find any personal information? Look for highlighted text
• Did you select what types of information to look for? (names, emails, etc.)
• Try selecting more types of information to detect

Quick Reference: Which Method Should I Use?#

Summary#

• Anonymization = hiding personal information
• 5 ways to hide: Replace, Redact, Mask, Hash, Encrypt
• Only Encrypt can be reversed (unlocked)
• Keys are like passwords for encrypted information
• Keep your keys safe! If you lose them, you can't unlock your data

Need More Help?#

Check out these other guides:

• Quick Start Guide - Get started in 5 minutes
• User Guide - Complete instructions
• FAQ - Common questions and answers

Last Updated: January 30, 2026