diff --git a/frontend/public/locales/en-GB/translation.json b/frontend/public/locales/en-GB/translation.json
index f15c927ac..a405edb7c 100644
--- a/frontend/public/locales/en-GB/translation.json
+++ b/frontend/public/locales/en-GB/translation.json
@@ -1596,13 +1596,18 @@
     },
     "auto": {
       "header": "Auto Redact",
+      "settings": "Redaction Settings",
       "colorLabel": "Colour",
-      "textsToRedactLabel": "Text to Redact (line-separated)",
-      "textsToRedactPlaceholder": "e.g. \nConfidential \nTop-Secret",
+      "wordsToRedact": {
+        "title": "Words to Redact",
+        "placeholder": "Enter a word",
+        "addAnother": "Add Another",
+        "examples": "Examples: Confidential, Top-Secret"
+      },
       "useRegexLabel": "Use Regex",
       "wholeWordSearchLabel": "Whole Word Search",
       "customPaddingLabel": "Custom Extra Padding",
-      "convertPDFToImageLabel": "Convert PDF to PDF-Image (Used to remove text behind the box)"
+      "convertPDFToImageLabel": "Convert PDF to PDF-Image"
     },
     "manual": {
       "header": "Manual Redaction",
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/tools/redact/AutomaticRedactSettings.tsx b/frontend/src/components/tools/redact/AutomaticRedactSettings.tsx
index cfc2fc01f..a724b0407 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/tools/redact/AutomaticRedactSettings.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/tools/redact/AutomaticRedactSettings.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-import { Stack, Text, Textarea, Select, NumberInput, Divider } from "@mantine/core";
+import { Stack, Divider, Text, NumberInput, Group, ColorInput } from "@mantine/core";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { RedactParameters } from "../../../hooks/tools/redact/useRedactParameters";
+import WordsToRedactInput from "./WordsToRedactInput";
 
 interface AutomaticRedactSettingsProps {
   parameters: RedactParameters;
@@ -11,61 +12,53 @@ interface AutomaticRedactSettingsProps {
 const AutomaticRedactSettings = ({ parameters, onParameterChange, disabled = false }: AutomaticRedactSettingsProps) => {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
 
-  const colorOptions = [
-    { value: '#000000', label: t('black', 'Black') },
-    { value: '#FFFFFF', label: t('white', 'White') },
-    { value: '#FF0000', label: t('red', 'Red') },
-    { value: '#00FF00', label: t('green', 'Green') },
-    { value: '#0000FF', label: t('blue', 'Blue') },
-  ];
-
   return (
     <Stack gap="md">
       <Divider ml='-md' />
 
-      {/* Text to Redact */}
-      <Stack gap="sm">
-        <Text size="sm" fw={500}>
-          {t('redact.auto.textsToRedactLabel', 'Text to Redact (line-separated)')}
-        </Text>
-        <Textarea
-          placeholder={t('redact.auto.textsToRedactPlaceholder', 'e.g. \nConfidential \nTop-Secret')}
-          value={parameters.listOfText}
-          onChange={(e) => onParameterChange('listOfText', e.target.value)}
-          disabled={disabled}
-          rows={4}
-          required
-        />
-      </Stack>
+      {/* Words to Redact */}
+      <WordsToRedactInput
+        wordsToRedact={parameters.wordsToRedact}
+        onWordsChange={(words) => onParameterChange('wordsToRedact', words)}
+        disabled={disabled}
+      />
 
       <Divider />
 
-      {/* Redaction Color */}
+      {/* Redaction Settings */}
       <Stack gap="sm">
         <Text size="sm" fw={500}>
-          {t('redact.auto.colorLabel', 'Color')}
+          {t('redact.auto.settings', 'Redaction Settings')}
         </Text>
-        <Select
-          value={parameters.redactColor}
-          onChange={(value) => {
-            if (value) {
-              onParameterChange('redactColor', value);
-            }
-          }}
-          disabled={disabled}
-          data={colorOptions}
-        />
-      </Stack>
 
-      <Divider />
-
-      {/* Search Options */}
-      <Stack gap="sm">
-        <Text size="sm" fw={500}>Search Options</Text>
+        {/* Box Color */}
+        <Stack gap="sm">
+          <Text size="sm">{t('redact.auto.colorLabel', 'Colour')}</Text>
+          <Group gap="sm">
+            <ColorInput
+              value={parameters.redactColor}
+              onChange={(value) => onParameterChange('redactColor', value)}
+              disabled={disabled}
+              size="sm"
+              style={{ width: '80px' }}
+            />
+            <NumberInput
+              value={parameters.customPadding}
+              onChange={(value) => onParameterChange('customPadding', typeof value === 'number' ? value : 0.1)}
+              min={0}
+              max={10}
+              step={0.1}
+              disabled={disabled}
+              size="sm"
+              style={{ width: '80px' }}
+              placeholder="0.1"
+            />
+          </Group>
+        </Stack>
 
+        {/* Use Regex */}
         <label
           style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: '8px' }}
-          title="Use regular expressions for pattern matching"
         >
           <input
             type="checkbox"
@@ -76,9 +69,9 @@ const AutomaticRedactSettings = ({ parameters, onParameterChange, disabled = fal
           <Text size="sm">{t('redact.auto.useRegexLabel', 'Use Regex')}</Text>
         </label>
 
+        {/* Whole Word Search */}
         <label
           style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: '8px' }}
-          title="Match whole words only, not partial matches within words"
         >
           <input
             type="checkbox"
@@ -88,30 +81,10 @@ const AutomaticRedactSettings = ({ parameters, onParameterChange, disabled = fal
           />
           <Text size="sm">{t('redact.auto.wholeWordSearchLabel', 'Whole Word Search')}</Text>
         </label>
-      </Stack>
-
-      <Divider />
-
-      {/* Advanced Options */}
-      <Stack gap="sm">
-        <Text size="sm" fw={500}>Advanced Options</Text>
-
-        <Stack gap="sm">
-          <Text size="sm">{t('redact.auto.customPaddingLabel', 'Custom Extra Padding')}</Text>
-          <NumberInput
-            value={parameters.customPadding}
-            onChange={(value) => onParameterChange('customPadding', typeof value === 'number' ? value : 0.1)}
-            min={0}
-            max={10}
-            step={0.1}
-            disabled={disabled}
-            placeholder="0.1"
-          />
-        </Stack>
 
+        {/* Convert PDF to PDF-Image */}
         <label
           style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: '8px' }}
-          title="Convert PDF to PDF-Image to remove text behind the redaction box"
         >
           <input
             type="checkbox"
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/tools/redact/RedactModeSelector.tsx b/frontend/src/components/tools/redact/RedactModeSelector.tsx
index 213007bbc..20546dab1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/tools/redact/RedactModeSelector.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/tools/redact/RedactModeSelector.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
-import { Radio, Stack, Text, Tooltip } from '@mantine/core';
+import { Select, Stack, Text } from '@mantine/core';
 import { RedactMode } from '../../../hooks/tools/redact/useRedactParameters';
 
 interface RedactModeSelectorProps {
@@ -11,40 +11,35 @@ interface RedactModeSelectorProps {
 export default function RedactModeSelector({ mode, onModeChange, disabled }: RedactModeSelectorProps) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
 
+  const modeOptions = [
+    {
+      value: 'automatic',
+      label: t('redact.modeSelector.automatic', 'Automatic'),
+      disabled: false
+    },
+    {
+      value: 'manual',
+      label: t('redact.modeSelector.manual', 'Manual'),
+      disabled: true // Disabled until implemented
+    }
+  ];
+
   return (
     <Stack gap="sm">
       <Text size="sm" fw={600}>
         {t('redact.modeSelector.title', 'Redaction Mode')}
       </Text>
 
-      <Radio.Group
+      <Select
         value={mode}
-        onChange={(value) => onModeChange(value as RedactMode)}
-      >
-        <Stack gap="xs">
-          <Radio
-            value="automatic"
-            label={t('redact.modeSelector.automatic', 'Automatic')}
-            description={t('redact.modeSelector.automaticDesc', 'Redact text based on search terms')}
-            disabled={disabled}
-          />
-
-          <Tooltip
-            label={t('redact.modeSelector.manualComingSoon', 'Manual redaction coming soon')}
-            position="right"
-          >
-            <div>
-              <Radio
-                value="manual"
-                label={t('redact.modeSelector.manual', 'Manual')}
-                description={t('redact.modeSelector.manualDesc', 'Click and drag to redact specific areas')}
-                disabled={true}
-                style={{ opacity: 0.5 }}
-              />
-            </div>
-          </Tooltip>
-        </Stack>
-      </Radio.Group>
+        onChange={(value) => {
+          if (value && value !== 'manual') { // Don't allow manual selection yet
+            onModeChange(value as RedactMode);
+          }
+        }}
+        disabled={disabled}
+        data={modeOptions}
+      />
     </Stack>
   );
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/tools/redact/WordsToRedactInput.tsx b/frontend/src/components/tools/redact/WordsToRedactInput.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1b2f48ef4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/tools/redact/WordsToRedactInput.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+import React, { useState } from 'react';
+import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
+import { Stack, Text, TextInput, Button, Group, ActionIcon } from '@mantine/core';
+
+interface WordsToRedactInputProps {
+  wordsToRedact: string[];
+  onWordsChange: (words: string[]) => void;
+  disabled?: boolean;
+}
+
+export default function WordsToRedactInput({ wordsToRedact, onWordsChange, disabled }: WordsToRedactInputProps) {
+  const { t } = useTranslation();
+  const [currentWord, setCurrentWord] = useState('');
+
+  const addWord = () => {
+    if (currentWord.trim() && !wordsToRedact.includes(currentWord.trim())) {
+      onWordsChange([...wordsToRedact, currentWord.trim()]);
+      setCurrentWord('');
+    }
+  };
+
+  const removeWord = (index: number) => {
+    onWordsChange(wordsToRedact.filter((_, i) => i !== index));
+  };
+
+  const handleKeyPress = (e: React.KeyboardEvent) => {
+    if (e.key === 'Enter') {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      addWord();
+    }
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <Stack gap="sm">
+      <Text size="sm" fw={500}>
+        {t('redact.auto.wordsToRedact.title', 'Words to Redact')}
+      </Text>
+
+      {/* Current words */}
+      {wordsToRedact.map((word, index) => (
+        <Group key={index} justify="space-between" style={{
+          padding: '8px 12px',
+          backgroundColor: '#f8f9fa',
+          borderRadius: '4px',
+          border: '1px solid #e9ecef'
+        }}>
+          <Text size="sm">{word}</Text>
+          <ActionIcon
+            size="sm"
+            variant="subtle"
+            color="red"
+            onClick={() => removeWord(index)}
+            disabled={disabled}
+          >
+            ×
+          </ActionIcon>
+        </Group>
+      ))}
+
+      {/* Add new word input */}
+      <Group gap="sm">
+        <TextInput
+          placeholder={t('redact.auto.wordsToRedact.placeholder', 'Enter a word')}
+          value={currentWord}
+          onChange={(e) => setCurrentWord(e.target.value)}
+          onKeyDown={handleKeyPress}
+          disabled={disabled}
+          style={{ flex: 1 }}
+          size="sm"
+        />
+        <Button
+          size="sm"
+          variant="light"
+          onClick={addWord}
+          disabled={disabled || !currentWord.trim()}
+        >
+          + {t('redact.auto.wordsToRedact.addAnother', 'Add Another')}
+        </Button>
+      </Group>
+
+      {/* Examples */}
+      {wordsToRedact.length === 0 && (
+        <Text size="xs" c="dimmed">
+          {t('redact.auto.wordsToRedact.examples', 'Examples: Confidential, Top-Secret')}
+        </Text>
+      )}
+    </Stack>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/tools/redact/useRedactOperation.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/tools/redact/useRedactOperation.ts
index a17e39599..d4da5530d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/hooks/tools/redact/useRedactOperation.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/tools/redact/useRedactOperation.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ export const buildRedactFormData = (parameters: RedactParameters, file: File): F
   formData.append("fileInput", file);
 
   if (parameters.mode === 'automatic') {
-    formData.append("listOfText", parameters.listOfText);
+    // Convert array to newline-separated string as expected by backend
+    formData.append("listOfText", parameters.wordsToRedact.join('\n'));
     formData.append("useRegex", parameters.useRegex.toString());
     formData.append("wholeWordSearch", parameters.wholeWordSearch.toString());
     formData.append("redactColor", parameters.redactColor.replace('#', ''));
diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/tools/redact/useRedactParameters.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/tools/redact/useRedactParameters.ts
index 7778d6898..33e95e93d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/hooks/tools/redact/useRedactParameters.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/tools/redact/useRedactParameters.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
+import { BaseParameters } from '../../../types/parameters';
 import { useBaseParameters, BaseParametersHook } from '../shared/useBaseParameters';
 
 export type RedactMode = 'automatic' | 'manual';
 
-export interface RedactParameters {
+export interface RedactParameters extends BaseParameters {
   mode: RedactMode;
 
   // Automatic redaction parameters
-  listOfText: string;
+  wordsToRedact: string[];
   useRegex: boolean;
   wholeWordSearch: boolean;
   redactColor: string;
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ export interface RedactParameters {
 
 export const defaultParameters: RedactParameters = {
   mode: 'automatic',
-  listOfText: '',
+  wordsToRedact: [],
   useRegex: false,
   wholeWordSearch: false,
   redactColor: '#000000',
@@ -24,8 +25,10 @@ export const defaultParameters: RedactParameters = {
   convertPDFToImage: true,
 };
 
-export const useRedactParameters = (): BaseParametersHook<RedactParameters> => {
-  return useBaseParameters<RedactParameters>({
+export type RedactParametersHook = BaseParametersHook<RedactParameters>;
+
+export const useRedactParameters = (): RedactParametersHook => {
+  return useBaseParameters({
     defaultParameters,
     endpointName: (params) => {
       if (params.mode === 'automatic') {
@@ -36,7 +39,7 @@ export const useRedactParameters = (): BaseParametersHook<RedactParameters> => {
     },
     validateFn: (params) => {
       if (params.mode === 'automatic') {
-        return params.listOfText.trim().length > 0;
+        return params.wordsToRedact.length > 0 && params.wordsToRedact.some(word => word.trim().length > 0);
       }
       // Manual mode validation would go here when implemented
       return false;