Remove Metadata from PDF — Free, Private, Secure

What Is PDF Metadata?

Every PDF file contains hidden information that isn't visible on the pages themselves. This metadata is embedded automatically by the software used to create or edit the document — Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, Google Docs, macOS Preview, and dozens of other applications all write metadata into PDFs.

While metadata serves useful purposes (like tracking document versions within an organization), it can also expose personal information you may not realize you're sharing. Before sending a PDF to someone outside your organization, it's good practice to check what metadata is embedded and strip anything you don't want them to see.

Common Metadata That Can Expose Personal Information

👤 Author / Creator

Your full name or username, automatically pulled from your software license or OS account.

Risk: Reveals your identity on documents you wanted to share anonymously.

🖥️ Producer / Creator Tool

The software and version used (e.g., "Microsoft Word 2021", "Adobe Acrobat Pro DC 23.001").

Risk: Reveals your software stack, useful for targeted attacks.

📅 Creation & Modification Dates

Exact timestamps of when the document was created and last edited, often down to the second.

Risk: Reveals your work timeline, timezone, and editing patterns.

📝 Subject / Keywords / Custom Fields

Optional fields that may contain internal notes, project codes, client names, or draft markers.

Risk: Internal information leaks to external recipients.

How This Tool Works

Open your PDF by dragging it onto the tool above or clicking "Open PDF." The file is loaded into your browser's memory — it is not uploaded anywhere.
Review the metadata displayed in the table. You'll see exactly what hidden information is embedded in your PDF, including author, creation software, dates, and custom fields.
Click "Strip Metadata & Download" to remove all metadata fields. The tool uses pdf-lib (a JavaScript library) to read your PDF, clear every metadata field, and save a clean copy. Your browser downloads the result automatically.

What Gets Removed

Title — document title field
Author — creator's name
Subject — document subject line
Keywords — embedded keywords
Creator — the application that created the original document
Producer — the application that generated the PDF
Creation Date — when the document was first created
Modification Date — when the document was last edited

What Stays the Same

All visible content — text, images, formatting, page layout, fonts, and colors — remains completely unchanged. Only the hidden metadata fields are cleared. The output is a standard PDF that opens normally in any PDF viewer.

Need to Redact Visible Content Too?

If you need to black out text, account numbers, or other visible information on the pages themselves, use our full PDF redaction tool.

Open the Redaction Tool →

When Should You Remove PDF Metadata?

Consider stripping metadata before sharing a PDF in any of these situations:

Sharing documents publicly — reports, whitepapers, or forms you post online
Sending to clients or customers — proposals, invoices, or contracts where your internal tooling details are irrelevant
Legal or compliance documents — where metadata could reveal editing history or internal participants
Anonymous submissions — whistleblower reports, peer reviews, or any document where the author's identity should not be discoverable
Before uploading to public repositories — government filings, academic papers, or shared templates

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PDF metadata?

PDF metadata is hidden information embedded in the file that is not visible on the pages themselves. It typically includes the author's name, the software used to create the file, creation and modification dates, and sometimes custom fields like subject, keywords, or internal notes. Anyone can view this metadata using free tools or by checking "Document Properties" in most PDF viewers.

Why should I remove metadata from a PDF?

PDF metadata can reveal personal information you may not want to share — your full name, your company name, the software you use, when you created and edited the document, and sometimes your computer's username. Before sharing a PDF publicly or with someone you don't fully trust, stripping metadata is a basic privacy precaution.

Does removing metadata change the visible content of my PDF?

No. Removing metadata only strips the hidden information fields. The visible pages, text, images, and formatting of your PDF remain completely unchanged. The file will look exactly the same when opened.

Do you store or see my PDF?

No. This tool processes your PDF entirely in your browser using JavaScript. The file is never uploaded to any server. We have zero access to your document or its metadata. You can verify this by checking the Network tab in your browser's developer tools — no file data is transmitted.

Can I verify that the metadata was removed?

Yes. After downloading the cleaned PDF, open it again with this tool (or check "Document Properties" in Adobe Acrobat, Preview, or any PDF viewer). All metadata fields should be empty or show generic values. You can also use command-line tools like exiftool or pdfinfo to inspect the file.

Does this remove ALL hidden data from a PDF?

This tool removes the standard metadata fields (author, creator, producer, dates, title, subject, keywords). Some PDFs may contain additional embedded data like XMP metadata streams, file attachments, JavaScript, or form field data. For most use cases, the standard metadata fields are what expose personal information. For maximum security on sensitive documents, consider also using our redaction tool to flatten pages to images, which destroys all hidden data layers.

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PDF Metadata