Remove PDF Metadata Online
See what your PDF’s hidden properties reveal — author, title, company, software and dates — then remove all of them or just the ones you choose. Check the result before you download. The pages themselves are not changed.
- 1 Upload
- 2 Choose Settings
- 3 Download
Step 1 of 3: Upload your PDF
Drop your PDF file here
or choose a file from your device
PDF only • Up to 50 MB
Drag & drop • Click to browse • No signup required
Your PDF’s metadata is read in your browser. The file is uploaded only when you remove the metadata, processed securely and deleted automatically afterwards. Your original is never changed.
- 1 Upload your PDF
- 2 See what it reveals
- 3 Choose what to remove
- 4 Remove, verify & download
Reading your PDF…
- Sent over an encrypted HTTPS connection
- Deleted automatically, normally within 60 minutes
- No registration needed · Privacy Policy
Remove PDF Metadata
Check what your PDF’s metadata reveals, choose what to remove, then remove it. Nothing is uploaded until you do.
- 1 Upload
- 2 Choose Settings
- 3 Download
Step 2 of 3: See what your PDF reveals and choose what to remove
What your PDF’s metadata reveals
Reading the metadata in your browser…
This PDF has no document properties or XMP metadata your browser can read. It may still hold embedded metadata on pages or images, which is checked and removed on our server when you continue.
| Property | Found in this PDF | What it can reveal | After cleaning |
|---|
“After cleaning” follows your choices below. Embedded metadata on pages and images, and the document ID, can’t be read in a browser; they are handled on our server and listed in the result.
Removing metadata changes the file, so the signature will stop validating. Keep a copy of the original if the signature matters.
Its PDF/A declaration is stored in the XMP metadata. If XMP metadata is removed, the file still opens normally but no longer declares PDF/A conformance. If an archive or portal requires PDF/A, choose your own selection and leave XMP metadata unticked.
- Tip: remove metadata as the last step. Editing or re-saving the PDF in another app often adds a Producer and new dates.
- Tip: the file name can give you away too. Rename the downloaded file if it contains a name or project.
Removing metadata…
0%
Uploading your file…
Metadata before and after
| Property | Before | After |
|---|
“Verify again” downloads the new file afresh and reads it again. You can also open it in your PDF reader’s Document Properties (usually Ctrl+D, or Cmd+D on a Mac).
PDF Preview
Here’s a look at your finished PDF.
Page 1 of 1
Result Summary
Save to Cloud (Optional)
Keep your file safe and accessible from anywhere.
Pick a folder in your own account, or share the file straight from here.
Useful Tips
- Check the summary: every check should say Passed. Anything marked Needs attention says what to look at.
- Open the new file’s Document Properties (Ctrl+D, or Cmd+D on a Mac, in most PDF readers) to see for yourself.
- Edit the file again later? Remove the metadata again as the last step: most apps add their own when they save.
✨ Did you know? You can also compress, crop, merge and more — all in one place!
Explore All ToolsBefore you share it
See what your PDF reveals, choose what to remove, check the result.
Getting started
- Upload your PDF. Its metadata is read in your browser.
- Review what each property reveals, then choose what to remove.
- Remove, check the before-and-after table and the checks, and download.
Key concepts
- Document properties
- Title, author, subject, keywords, creator, producer, dates and custom fields: what your PDF reader shows in Document Properties.
- XMP metadata
- A second, more detailed copy of the properties, often with document IDs and an edit history. Remove it too when removing the author.
- Embedded metadata
- Metadata attached to individual pages and images, and private data some apps store. Browsers can’t read it; our server removes it.
- Hidden content
- Comments, attachments, form data and layers are not metadata and are not removed here. The scan lists them with the tool to use.
- Your original
- It is never changed. Don’t share it once you have the cleaned copy.
Tips & shortcuts
- Remove metadata last: other apps add a Producer and dates when they save.
- Password-protected PDFs need unlocking first with Unlock PDF.
- Enter confirms · Esc closes a dialog · ? opens this panel.
Did you know? Switching to another tool in the sidebar carries your file over automatically — no need to re-upload.
Still stuck? Read the questions below or contact support and we'll help.
Check a PDF’s Metadata
See what a PDF’s metadata says before you send it, or confirm that a cleaned file is clean. The file is read in your browser and is not uploaded.
Drop a PDF here to check it
How to Remove PDF Metadata
Upload your PDF. Its metadata is read in your browser; nothing is uploaded yet.
Review what was found and what each property can reveal.
Keep Remove all metadata, or choose exactly what to remove.
Select Remove Metadata & Download. The new file is checked automatically.
Compare before and after, then download. Use Verify again or Check a PDF’s metadata any time.
To remove only the author from a PDF
Choose Choose what to remove and keep Author and XMP metadata ticked. Many apps write the author into the XMP metadata as well, so removing only the Author property can leave a copy behind; the result’s metadata check tells you if that happened.
What Is PDF Metadata?
PDF metadata is information stored inside the file about the document rather than on its pages: who wrote it, what it is called, which app made it and when. Most of it is filled in automatically. Word, for example, copies your account name into the Author field when you save as PDF, and a scanner app records itself as the Producer.
None of it is printed on the pages, but anyone who opens the file can read it in their PDF reader’s Document Properties, and search engines and document portals read it too. That is why people remove metadata from a PDF before sending it to a client, uploading it to a public site or submitting an application.
What Can PDF Metadata Reveal?
| Property | Example | What it can reveal | Typical concern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | J. Smith | A person’s name or computer account name | Medium |
| Custom properties | Company: Example Ltd | An organisation, a manager or a client | Medium |
| Title | Pricing proposal – draft 7 | An internal or earlier working title | Medium |
| Subject and keywords | Confidential, project Atlas | What the document is about, internal terms | Low to higher, depending on the words |
| Creator and producer | Word for Microsoft 365 | The software, and sometimes its version | Low |
| Creation and modification dates | 5 Oct 2026, 14:03 | When it was made and last edited | Low to medium |
| XMP document IDs and history | xmpMM:DocumentID | That two files are copies or versions of each other | Low to medium |
Examples are made up. How much a property matters depends on what it says and who receives the file; most metadata is harmless, but it is easy to check.
Remove Metadata from a PDF: What Is and Isn’t Removed
Removing metadata clears the information about the document. It does not remove content that happens to be hidden from view. The scan in the tool lists both, so you can decide what else needs doing.
Removed by this tool
- Title, author, subject and keywords
- Creator and producer (software names)
- Creation and modification dates
- Custom properties such as Company
- XMP metadata, including document IDs and edit history
- Metadata attached to pages and images, and private app data
- Earlier versions stored inside the file by incremental saves
Hidden content: not metadata
- Comments, highlights and reviewers’ notes: Remove PDF Annotations
- Attached files, JavaScript and page thumbnails: Clean PDF
- Filled-in form values: Flatten PDF makes them plain page content
- Names or details printed on the pages: edit the source document, or black out whole pages with Redact PDF
- Hidden layers and content outside the visible page area are not removed by any of these; the scan tells you when a PDF has layers
Before You Share a Sensitive PDF: A Privacy Checklist
Tick them off as you go. This list is only for you; nothing is saved.
Common Problems
“My PDF reader still shows an author.”
If you chose your own selection and left XMP metadata ticked off, the author may still be in the XMP copy; the result’s metadata check says so. Remove XMP metadata as well. Also make sure you opened the new file, not the original.
“The metadata came back after I edited the file.”
PDF editors and printers write their own Producer, dates and sometimes your name every time they save. Remove the metadata again as the very last step before you share the file.
“My viewer shows a date, but the metadata says there isn’t one.”
Many viewers and file managers show the file’s date on your computer or in your email, which is not stored in the PDF. It changes whenever the file is copied or downloaded.
“This PDF is password-protected.”
The metadata can’t be read or removed until the file is unlocked. Unlock it with Unlock PDF (you need the password), remove the metadata, then add a password again with Protect PDF if you need one.
“It says there’s no metadata to remove.”
The file has none of the properties you chose. It may already be clean, or you chose properties it doesn’t have; the message lists what it does have. Choose Remove all metadata to clear everything that is there.
“This PDF appears to be damaged.”
Fix it with Repair PDF, or open it in a PDF viewer and save a fresh copy, then remove the metadata from the repaired file.
What This Tool Doesn’t Do
- One PDF at a time, up to 50 MB. There is no batch processing yet.
- It doesn’t make a PDF anonymous. The text, images, comments and file name can still identify a person or organisation.
- It doesn’t remove comments, attachments, form data or layers; the scan lists them with the right tool.
- It doesn’t change other copies. Earlier versions you emailed or backed up still have their metadata.
- To set a title or author instead of removing them, use Edit PDF Metadata.
Remove PDF Metadata FAQ
How do I remove metadata from a PDF?
Upload the PDF above. You’ll see the properties it contains and what each one can reveal. Keep Remove all metadata selected, or choose your own, then select Remove Metadata & Download. Check the before-and-after table and download the new file.
How do I remove the author from a PDF?
Select Choose what to remove and keep Author and XMP metadata ticked, because the XMP metadata often holds a second copy of the author. Untick anything you want to keep. Or simply remove all metadata.
Can I remove PDF metadata without changing the document?
Yes. Only the properties are removed. Page content, links, bookmarks, form fields and comments are kept, and the result is compared with your original page by page. The file is saved fresh, so its size can change slightly.
What information is stored in PDF metadata?
Usually the title, author, subject, keywords, the app that created the original and the app that made the PDF, and creation and modification dates, sometimes with custom fields such as Company. Many PDFs also have XMP metadata with copies of these, document IDs and an edit history.
Is PDF metadata visible to other people?
Not on the pages, but anyone who opens the file can see it in their PDF reader’s Document Properties, and search engines and document portals can read it too.
Does PDF metadata contain personal information?
It can. The Author field is often filled in automatically with your name or computer account name, and custom fields can name your organisation. Software names and dates are less personal but show how and when the file was made.
How can I check whether PDF metadata was removed?
The result shows a before-and-after table read from the new file, and Verify again reads it once more. You can also use Check a PDF’s metadata on this page, or open Document Properties in your PDF reader.
Does removing PDF metadata reduce quality?
No. Pages are not re-rendered or compressed; text, images and fonts stay exactly as they were.
Does removing metadata remove comments and annotations?
No. Comments, highlights and attachments are content, not metadata. The scan lists them; use Remove PDF Annotations or Clean PDF to remove them.
Can metadata be recovered after removal?
Not from the new file: the properties are deleted, and earlier versions stored inside the file are dropped when it is saved. Your original file still has them, and so do any other copies you have already sent or backed up.
Can I remove metadata from multiple PDFs at once?
Not yet. Process them one after another; each result has a button to start on another PDF.
Can I remove metadata from a password-protected PDF?
Not directly. Unlock it first with Unlock PDF (you need the password), remove the metadata, then add a password again with Protect PDF if you need one.
Does removing metadata make a PDF anonymous?
No. It removes the document properties, but the visible text, images, comments and the file name can still identify a person or organisation. Check the pages too.
Is it safe to upload a private PDF to an online metadata remover?
Here, the metadata is read in your browser, so you see what the file contains before anything is uploaded. The PDF is uploaded only when you remove the metadata, over an encrypted connection, processed in its own folder and deleted automatically, normally within 60 minutes. No account is needed.
Is this PDF metadata remover free?
Yes. There is no account, watermark or daily limit. Each PDF can be up to 50 MB.
Privacy & Security
What happens to your file
The metadata scan, the hidden-content scan, the page previews, the before-and-after check and the metadata checker all run in your browser. Your PDF is uploaded only when you select Remove Metadata, over an encrypted HTTPS connection, and processed in its own job folder. The cleaned file is deleted automatically, normally within 60 minutes, and your original is never changed. Read our Privacy Policy or contact us with any questions.
Ready to Remove Your PDF’s Metadata?
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