Does hiding keywords in white text help a resume get past the ATS?

No. Hiding keywords in white text is a well-known trick, and it is more likely to hurt you than help. The idea is that software reads the invisible words while a human does not see them. In practice, the hidden text often becomes visible.

How it gets exposed:

• Many systems show recruiters a plain-text version of your resume, where white text appears as normal black text.
• Copying or selecting text in a PDF reveals it.
• Recruiters who view the file in a different program or highlight the page can see it.

When a recruiter sees a block of copied keywords or a pasted job description, it looks like an attempt to deceive, and that can end your chances with that employer. Nothing reliable suggests the trick improves results anyway, because a human still decides who is interviewed.

What works instead: use the real terms from the job advert where they honestly describe your experience, in your summary, skills and bullet points. Example: "Prepared monthly VAT returns in Tally ERP" is a keyword and evidence at the same time.