Remove metadata
See and remove the author, app, dates and hidden XMP data in a PDF, or edit its properties.
Every PDF carries information you don’t see on the page: who wrote it, which program made it, when it was created and edited, and often a hidden XMP copy of all of that. ModifyPDF shows you what’s there and strips it out, or lets you set the title, author and keywords yourself.
How to remove metadata from a PDF
- Choose one or more PDFs and check what metadata they contain.
- Pick “Remove all metadata”, or “Edit properties” to set new values.
- Click the button and download the cleaned PDF.
Frequently asked questions
What metadata does a PDF contain?
The document properties (title, author, subject, keywords, the app that created it, the PDF producer, and created and modified dates), an XMP metadata stream that usually repeats them, and sometimes XMP attached to individual images and pages, such as camera or editing details.
What does “Remove all metadata” remove?
All of the above, plus private data that apps like Illustrator store inside PDFs, and old copies of the properties left behind when a file was edited and saved again. The text, images and layout of the pages are not changed.
Does it remove names from the page itself?
No. Metadata is separate from what is printed on the page. To hide names, numbers or other text on the page, use Redact PDF.
Why does a website still show a title for my PDF?
Many browsers and sites show the file name when a PDF has no title. Rename the file, or use “Edit properties” to set the title you want shown.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. ModifyPDF processes files with JavaScript inside your browser. Your documents never leave your device, and nothing is stored after you close the page.
See what’s there first
After you choose a file, the panel lists the document properties it contains, such as title, author, the app that created it, the PDF producer and the dates, plus any custom properties and whether it has an XMP metadata stream.
Remove or edit
“Remove all metadata” deletes the properties, XMP metadata on the document, pages and images, and app-private data. “Edit properties” lets you set a new title, author, subject, keywords and app names, and keep or drop the dates. Leave a box blank to remove that property.
Why remove metadata
Metadata can give away more than you intend: the real name of the person who wrote a document published anonymously, the company or computer it came from, the software used, and when it was really created. Lawyers, journalists, job seekers and anyone publishing documents online often strip it before sharing.
PDF/A and archived files
PDF/A files need their XMP metadata, so removing it means the file no longer claims PDF/A conformance. If you need an archive copy, run the cleaned file through PDF to PDF/A afterwards.