Metadata
Remove PDF metadata: what a PDF reveals about you
Your cover letter shows the right name, but the document properties say “Author: j.smith-old” and “Title: CoverLetter_Template_CompanyX”. Every PDF carries details like these – invisible until someone looks. Here's how to find and remove them.
Get started: open the PDF, see what's in it, clean it in one click. Free and no upload.
View metadataWhat's in PDF metadata
| Field | Typical content | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Author | Windows or Office user name, often the full name | Reveals who created the document – even “anonymous” letters |
| Title | Original file name or the template's title | “Application_CompetitorCo_v3” doesn't make a good impression |
| Creator / Producer | “Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365”, “Canon iR-ADV C5535” | Shows software, device and sometimes the company |
| Created / Modified | Date and time to the second | Doesn't always match the story told |
| XMP metadata | Extra details, sometimes with editing history | Can contain earlier file names, apps and timestamps |
| Comments | Notes with the commenters' names | Internal remarks go out by accident |
| Embedded files | Attached spreadsheets, source files | Sometimes complete raw data in an attachment |
Viewing metadata
- Acrobat Reader: File → Properties → Description.
- Windows: right-click the file → Properties → Details (shows only part of it).
- Mac: in Preview, Tools → Show Inspector.
- Browser: open it in PDF Metadata – the tool shows everything at a glance, including XMP data, comment authors and attachments, and flags what's sensitive.
The PDF stays with you. Especially when privacy is the point, cleaning shouldn't happen on someone else's server. The tool runs entirely in your browser.
Remove metadata in three steps
- Open the PDF. Drop the file into PDF Metadata. “What this PDF reveals” is at the top, all document properties below.
- Check the options. By default, XMP data, names in comments and application-private data (e.g. from Illustrator) are removed too. Embedded files only if you tick the box.
- Clean it. “Remove all metadata” saves a new file ending in
-no-metadata. Text, images, links and form fields stay unchanged.
Instead of deleting everything, you can also edit single fields – e.g. enter a clean title “Application – Jane Doe” – and choose “Save with my changes”.
View author, title, software, dates and editing history – and remove them in one click.
Prevent it when creating
- Word: before exporting, File → Info → Check for Issues → Inspect Document. It removes author, comments and hidden text from the Word file.
- Word export: in “Save as PDF”, open Options and untick “Document properties”.
- Templates: using someone else's template carries over its title and author – check after filling it in.
- Visible content: metadata is only half the story. To remove names from the text itself, see How to redact a PDF.
For pros: exiftool and qpdf
For many files or scripts, the open-source tools exiftool and qpdf work well. Note: exiftool only appends changes to PDFs – the old values remain in the file. Only rewriting it with qpdf really removes them.
exiftool -all:all= document.pdf
qpdf --linearize document.pdf document-clean.pdfRemove PDF metadata now
See what your PDF reveals and delete it in one click or edit it – free, no upload.
Frequently asked questions
What is PDF metadata?
Information stored in a PDF besides the visible content: author, title, subject, keywords, creating application, creation and modification date, plus XMP data.
Does removing it change my PDF's content?
No. Text, images, links, form fields and bookmarks stay unchanged.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The tool reads and cleans the file entirely in your browser.
Are all traces gone afterwards?
Document properties, XMP data and the chosen extras are removed. Personal data in the visible text or images remains – that needs redacting.
Why does Acrobat still show a title after cleaning?
Some apps then display the file name. Rename the file sensibly or enter a new title.
Can I edit metadata instead of deleting it?
Yes. All fields are editable; “Save with my changes” applies your values.
Does it work with password-protected PDFs?
No. Remove the protection with the password first.
Sources
- Remove hidden data and personal information by inspecting documents, Microsoft Support.
- exiftool – PDF Tags, including the note on reversible PDF edits.
- qpdf – Running qpdf.
- pdf-lib – the open-source library the tool uses in your browser.