How to view and edit PDF metadata
- Drop your file on Drop a PDF here or click to choose. About this file shows the page count, page size, PDF version, file size and whether an XMP block is present.
- Read Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Creator, Producer, Created (UTC) and Modified (UTC). Any other entries and any XMP data are listed below the form.
- Change a field, or empty it to delete that entry, then click Save changes and download.
- To strip everything instead, click Clear all metadata and download.
Where a PDF keeps its metadata
A PDF stores its properties in two places. The document information dictionary holds the entries in the form above, plus a few others such as Trapped, and the PDF specification (ISO 32000-1:2008, section 14.3) defines them. Many files also carry an XMP block, an XML packet that repeats the title, author and software names and adds more. The tool reads both with pdf-lib, edits the document information, and writes a new copy.
Saving only touches the fields you changed, so unusual entries stay exactly as they were. A field you empty is removed from the file rather than saved as blank text. Dates are shown and entered in UTC so they read the same wherever you are.
Worked example with the sample file
Click Try a sample PDF with metadata. It shows 1 page of 595 x 842 pt (A4), PDF version 1.4 and an XMP block. Title reads Quarterly Report, Author reads Jane Example, Keywords read "sales, quarterly, results", Created (UTC) reads 2024-01-05 12:30:00 and Modified (UTC) reads 2024-02-12 08:15:00. Two extra entries are listed, Trapped and Department. Change Author to Sam Lee and click Save changes and download: the new file has the new author and the XMP block is gone, so no program can show Jane Example any more.
Limits and edge cases
- Clear all metadata removes the document information, the XMP block and application data stored by design programs. It does not touch the visible text, comments, or data inside embedded pictures such as camera details in a photo.
- A PDF locked with a password or permission settings cannot be opened here. Use the PDF Password Remover first.
- Removing the XMP block of a PDF/A archive file ends its PDF/A claim. Untick the box if you need to keep it.
- The saved file is rewritten, so its size can differ slightly. To shrink it, run the PDF Compressor, and the PDF Page Extractor makes a new file without any properties at all.
PDF metadata questions
How do I see who created a PDF and with what software?
Open the file here. Author is the name saved in the file, Creator is the program the document was written in, and Producer is the program that wrote the PDF. Any XMP data found in the file is listed below the form.
How do I remove metadata from a PDF?
Open the file and click Clear all metadata and download. The tool removes the document information, the XMP block and application data, and saves a new copy. Metadata inside embedded pictures, such as camera details in a photo, is not touched.
Can I change the creation date of a PDF?
Yes. Type a new date in Created (UTC) in the form 2024-01-05 12:30:00 and save. Dates are shown in UTC, so the time you see can differ from your local clock.
Why do other programs still show the old title after I edit it?
Some PDFs keep a second copy of the title and author in an XMP block, and some programs read that copy first. Keep the Remove the XMP block box ticked when you save and the old copy is dropped.
Does clearing metadata make a PDF anonymous?
Not fully. It removes the properties, but names can still appear in the visible text, in comments and inside pictures. Check the pages themselves before you share a file.
Sources: ISO 32000-1:2008 (PDF 1.7), section 14.3 Metadata; Adobe XMP specification.