Remove PDF Metadata

How do I remove metadata from a PDF?

Press Choose a PDF. The tool lists what it found: document details such as author and dates, XMP data, attachments, scripts, comment authors and camera data in images. Untick anything you want to keep, or tick Replace with details I type. Press Remove metadata, check the after report, then Download.

1. Press Choose a PDF and read the report.
2. Untick anything you want to keep.
3. Optionally tick Replace with details I type and fill in a title.
4. Press Remove metadata, check the after report, then Download.

What metadata does a PDF contain?

Usually a title, the author (often your computer user name), the program that made it, and creation and change dates. Files can also hold an XMP block that repeats this, private data from design software, and earlier saved versions. Photos inside can carry camera details and GPS location. Attached files and comment author names add more.

Does it really remove everything?

It removes the details in every place listed, then drops any leftover objects nothing points to, and rewrites the file. We test that by searching the finished file for the author's name. In our build test, a file holding the name in five places came out with none.

Why remove metadata before sharing a PDF?

Metadata can reveal more than the document does: the real author of an anonymous report, your company's internal file paths, the software you use, when a draft was really written, or where a photo was taken. Lawyers, journalists and job seekers often clean files before sending them for those reasons.

Can I edit PDF metadata instead of deleting it?

Yes. Tick Replace with details I type and fill in the title, author, subject or keywords you want readers to see. Everything else is still removed, and only the fields you fill in are written to the cleaned file. Leave a field empty to leave it out.