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Remove metadata from PDF

Choose a PDF, see what its metadata says about you, leave the items to remove selected and download a cleaned copy. An author name, a company account or editing dates no longer travel with the file.

Files never leave your device

Drop a PDF here or click to choose one

Choose a PDF and select the metadata to remove.

How to remove metadata from a PDF

  1. 1

    Choose a PDF

    Click Choose PDF or drag the file onto the page. It works in the browser on Windows and Mac alike, with no Acrobat needed.

  2. 2

    Review the metadata found

    The tool lists the title, author, software, dates, XMP metadata, document identifier and attachments, each with its value.

  3. 3

    Untick what should stay

    Everything is selected by default. Untick what you want to keep and click Remove metadata.

  4. 4

    Check and download

    The tool reads the result again and confirms that the selected items are gone and the others stayed. It also compares page count, page size and selectable text with the original.

What PDF metadata gives away

A PDF often holds the author, which is frequently the name or company account set in the program that made it, the title of the original document, the program name and version, the creation and modification dates, and an XMP packet with the same details. The tool does not change the text or images on the pages and does not write its own software name or dates into the file.

When to remove metadata before sending

It is worth doing before you send a CV to a recruiter, a quote to a client or a tender, before you publish a document online and before you pass on a file that went through many hands. The previous author or the date of the last edit can say more than you want, for example that a quote was built from a template made for another client.

Remove metadata as the very last step, once the document is finished, because Word or Acrobat write it again every time they save. If the file also needs a password, remove the metadata first and then protect it with Password protect PDF.

What the tool finds and what it does not

The tool reads the standard document fields, the XMP packet, the document identifier, which can link different versions of the same file, and embedded files. It shows each item with its value and removes only the ones you leave selected.

A name in the letterhead, a signature line in the footer, review comments or text under a black box are not metadata and stay in the file. Remove them in the program where the document was created, then save it as a PDF again.

Privacy

All processing takes place in your browser. Your PDF is never uploaded to a server, and no data remains after you close the page.

FAQ

Is the PDF uploaded to a server?
No. Reading, removing and checking metadata all happen in your browser tab, and the file never leaves your device. The metadata shown in the list is read directly from your file and is not sent anywhere.

Will I see the metadata before removing it?
Yes. After you choose a file, the tool lists every item it found with its value, such as title, author, software, dates, XMP metadata, document identifier and embedded files. Everything is selected by default, so untick what you want to keep.

Can I keep some metadata?
Yes. Only selected items are removed. Untick the fields you want to keep, or click Clear selection and tick only the ones to delete. After saving, the tool checks that every unselected item is still in the result.

Will names and dates printed on the pages disappear?
No. Text printed on a page is page content, not metadata, so it stays in the file. Remove a name in the header, a signature line in the footer or review comments in the program where the document was created, then save it again.

Does the tool change the file name?
The file name is not part of the PDF, it belongs to your operating system. The downloaded copy keeps the original name with "-without-metadata" added. If the name gives away too much, such as a person's name or a version number, rename it before sending.

What is XMP metadata?
It is extended metadata stored as XML, which programs such as Word or Acrobat add next to the basic fields. It often repeats the same names and dates and sometimes holds an edit history, so the tool lists it as a separate item to remove.

Can I remove embedded files?
Yes. Attachments appear in their own Embedded files group with the name of each file, and you can select them for removal. They are worth checking, because they may hold information you never see while reading the pages.

Why remove metadata as the last step?
Because other programs fill it in again every time they save: Word writes the author and Acrobat writes the modification date. Finish the document first, then remove the metadata, and send the result without opening it for editing again.

Does the tool add any data of its own?
No. The tool adds no software name or dates, and the result contains only the items you left unselected. After saving, the file is read again to confirm that the selected items are gone and the others are still there.

Will a digital signature stay valid?
No. Removing metadata saves the file again, and a digital signature stored inside a PDF detects any change to the file. Remove the metadata before the document is signed, not afterwards.

Can I remove metadata from a password protected PDF?
Not directly, because the tool cannot read an encrypted file. Unlock it first with Unlock PDF, remove the metadata from the unlocked copy and, if needed, protect it again with Password protect PDF.

How do I remove the author and date from a PDF?
Choose the file and the list shows the author, title, software and the creation and modification dates. Leave those items selected, untick anything that should stay and click Remove metadata. The tool then checks that the selected data is really gone from the result.

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