See and edit the hidden information inside a PDF

Every PDF carries a block of metadata most people never look at: who created it, with what software, and when. Documents exported from a work laptop routinely carry a full name and an internal template's title into the outside world.

This shows you everything that's in there and lets you edit or clear it before the file goes anywhere. Setting a real title is also worth doing for its own sake: it's what most PDF readers show in the window title bar and the browser tab, and an untitled document usually displays as a filename or, worse, as whatever the template was called.

The fields are the standard document properties — title, author, subject, keywords, and the creation and modification timestamps — plus whatever the producing application recorded about itself. Clearing them is a single action, and it's a sensible habit before sending anything out of an organisation.

What this does — and what it doesn't

  • Removing metadata clears the document properties and the XMP block, a second copy of the same information that many readers prefer. It doesn't remove everything identifying: embedded images can carry their own EXIF data, the file's internal ID stays, and the structure of the file can still hint at what produced it.
  • Dates are written in UTC from the local time you enter. Files that carry a digital signature stop being valid once edited.

Edit PDF Metadata — frequently asked questions

What metadata does a PDF store?
Typically the title, author, subject, keywords, the application that created it, the PDF producer library, and creation and modification timestamps. Some documents carry a lot more in an embedded XMP block, which this page shows a summary of and can remove.
Can I strip everything before sharing a file?
Yes: Remove all metadata deletes the document properties, any custom properties and the XMP block. Be aware that images inside the document may carry their own metadata, and the text and form values are untouched, so it is not a full scrub of a sensitive file.
Why does my PDF say it was created by someone else?
Because the author field is usually filled in automatically by whatever produced the file — often from the account name on the machine that exported it, or inherited from the template it was based on. It's one of the more common ways a document quietly carries information out of an organisation.
Can I process many PDFs at once?
Yes. Switch on "Process many files" to set the same title, author, subject or keywords on up to 60 PDFs (300 MB in total), or remove all document properties from them, and download a ZIP. Boxes you leave blank keep each file's own value.
Is my PDF uploaded anywhere?
No. Every operation runs in your browser using JavaScript and WebAssembly — the file never leaves your device. You can verify it: load the page, disconnect from the internet, and the tool still works. There is no upload endpoint to send it to.

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