A PDF often says more about itself than its pages do: who wrote it, in which program, on which dates, sometimes under which document title or from which file path. This tool shows all of that, then writes a copy of the PDF without it. It is the PDF counterpart of the Image Metadata Remover, and like it, it works in your browser without uploading the file.
It is also plain about the limits: metadata removal is not anonymisation, and the page lists what it does not remove.
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Overview
About PDF Metadata Viewer & Remover
What is shown. The Info dictionary: title, author, subject, keywords, creator, producer, creation and modification dates, plus any custom fields. XMP packets: each metadata stream with the common properties extracted (title, creators, tool, dates, document and instance IDs) and the raw XML on request. The document ID pair in the file trailer. Application-private PieceInfo data, page-level metadata streams, annotation author names (on comments and highlights), the number of embedded file attachments, whether the file is signed, and how many times it was saved by appending changes.
What is removed. The Info dictionary; every XMP metadata stream, including those attached to pages, images and forms, and their stream objects; PieceInfo and last-modified entries; the trailer document ID (optional); and the author name on markup annotations (optional). The file is then written again from its current objects, so older versions that earlier incremental saves left inside the file are not carried over. The result is checked: the page shows how many Info fields, XMP packets and IDs remain.
What is not removed. The text, images, bookmarks and form values of the document itself; names of attached files; metadata inside embedded images and fonts; the file name and the file system dates; and anything the pages say. A PDF with metadata removed can still be traced by its content.
Signed files. Rewriting a signed PDF makes its signatures invalid; the page warns you first.
Compatibility
Supported Formats
PDF files up to 80 MB and 500 pages. Password-protected or encrypted PDFs must be unlocked first. The output is a regular PDF with the same pages; the original is not changed.
Guide
How to Use PDF Metadata Viewer & Remover
- Choose a PDF. The metadata is read and listed.
- Check the document information, XMP and other identifying data.
- Choose whether to also remove the document ID and annotation author names.
- Press "Remove metadata and download", and read the confirmation of what was left.
Highlights
Features
- Everything listed first Info fields, XMP packets with raw XML, document IDs, private data and annotation authors.
- Thorough removal Info, all XMP streams (including page-level), private data, optional IDs and annotation authors.
- Old revisions dropped Written from the current version, so appended earlier versions are not kept.
- Plain about limits States what cannot be removed and warns about signatures.
- Private by design No upload; the original stays unchanged.
Applications
Use Cases
- Removing the author name and software before sending a document to a client
- Checking what a PDF reveals about who made it and when
- Cleaning a scan or export that carries a company or computer name in its metadata
- Dropping old versions that were kept inside a PDF by repeated saves
- Preparing a document for anonymous submission
Good to Know
Limitations
Metadata removal is not anonymisation. The content of the document can identify its author, and some information cannot be removed with confidence: text inside pages, form field values, bookmarks, attachment names, comments' text, metadata embedded in images and fonts, and file system information outside the PDF. Check the result in a PDF viewer's properties dialog and read the document.
Rewriting invalidates digital signatures and may drop features that depend on the original structure. Tagged accessibility structure is kept, but PDF/A claims stored in XMP are removed along with it, so the copy no longer declares PDF/A. Keep the original file.
This tool runs entirely in your browser — your file is never uploaded to our servers. See our Privacy Policy for full details.
Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. It is read and rewritten in your browser with pdf-lib. Nothing is sent to our server.
Does this make the document anonymous?
No. It removes descriptive metadata. The pages, text, attachments and other content can still identify the author or organisation.
Why does it mention several saved versions?
Some programs save changes by appending them to the file, so earlier versions, with their old titles and authors, stay inside. The cleaned copy is written from the current version only.
What happens to a digitally signed PDF?
Rewriting it invalidates the signature. The page warns you before you remove anything.
Can it remove metadata from the images inside the PDF?
Not from the image data. Metadata streams attached to objects are removed, but Exif inside an embedded JPEG stays. Clean images with the Image Metadata Remover before building the PDF.
What is the document ID?
A pair of identifiers stored in the file trailer that programs use to tell versions of a file apart. It is not personal, but it links copies of the same document, so you can remove it.
Keep Going
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