PDF Metadata Remover
Upload PDF or drag and drop
PDF files only
PDFs contain hidden metadata fields that reveal your name, company, the software you used, and the exact date the document was created or last edited. Before sharing a contract, proposal, or any document externally, use this tool to see what metadata is embedded and strip it all in one click. Runs entirely in your browser - your file is never uploaded to a server.
How to use this tool
- 1Click the upload area or drag your PDF onto it.
- 2Click 'Remove metadata'. The tool reads all standard metadata fields from the file.
- 3Review the before/after table showing every field that was found and cleared.
- 4Click 'Download clean PDF' to save the metadata-free version.
Example
A contract exported from Microsoft Word contains Author: Sarah Mitchell, Creator: Microsoft Word 16, Producer: macOS Quartz PDFContext, Created: 14 March 2025 09:42. After removing metadata, all fields are cleared. The text, layout, and signatures are untouched.
A PDF generated by a legal document tool shows Subject: Internal - Privileged and Confidential, Keywords: NDA, Acquisition, Q3. Removing metadata clears these fields before the file is shared with external parties, eliminating accidental information disclosure.
Common use cases
- Removing your name and company from a contract PDF before sending it to a client
- Clearing the creation date and software version from a proposal so recipients cannot tell which tool you used
- Stripping author information from a confidential report before distributing it widely
- Cleaning up a PDF generated by Microsoft Word or Google Docs that embeds the original author and revision history
- Removing keywords and subject fields added automatically by accounting or legal software
Common mistakes
- Assuming metadata removal also removes tracked changes or comments - this tool clears document properties only. Annotations and comments embedded in the PDF content layer are separate and are not affected.
- Sharing the original file after downloading the clean version - always send the downloaded -clean.pdf file, not the original you uploaded.
- Expecting the tool to remove content hidden inside images - if a scanned PDF has a watermark or text baked into an image, that image content is not metadata and cannot be removed here.
- Forgetting to check the before table - some PDFs contain no metadata at all, so the tool confirms there was nothing to strip. This is still a useful check before sharing.
Frequently asked questions
What metadata fields does this tool remove?
The tool clears Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Creator (the application that created the PDF), Producer (the PDF library used), Creation Date, and Modification Date. These are the standard PDF document properties defined in the PDF specification.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. All processing happens entirely in your browser using the pdf-lib JavaScript library. Your PDF never leaves your device. Nothing is stored, logged, or transmitted.
What is the difference between this and the PDF Compressor?
The PDF Compressor also strips metadata as part of its compression step, but its primary goal is reducing file size. This tool is focused on privacy: it shows you exactly which metadata fields were found before clearing them, so you can confirm what was removed. Use the PDF Compressor when file size matters; use this tool when you need to audit and confirm what metadata existed.
Will this affect the content, layout, or images in the PDF?
No. Text, images, fonts, annotations, and page layout are completely unchanged. Only the document properties fields (the metadata) are cleared.
Can I remove metadata from a password-protected PDF?
No. The tool cannot process encrypted or password-protected PDFs. Remove the password using a PDF application first, then upload the unlocked file.
What if the tool shows no metadata was found?
Some PDFs - particularly those generated by certain print-to-PDF drivers or stripped by another tool - contain no metadata fields. The tool will confirm this and still provide a clean download. You can safely share the original in that case.
Does this remove comments, annotations, or tracked changes?
No. This tool only clears document property fields. Comments, sticky notes, highlight annotations, and any form of tracked changes embedded in the PDF content layer are not affected. Use a dedicated PDF editor to remove those.
How is this different from removing EXIF data from images?
EXIF is an image-specific metadata format embedded in JPG or PNG files (camera model, GPS location, etc.). PDF metadata is a separate document properties system built into the PDF format. Use the Image Metadata Remover tool for image files and this tool for PDFs.
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