Remove Metadata from PDF

RUNS ON THIS DEVICE

Check what a PDF quietly says about you — author name, software used, edit dates — and download a copy with all of it removed, without uploading anything.

What your PDF says behind your back

Most PDFs carry a hidden record: the author field often holds a real name pulled from a Windows or Office account, the creator field names the software and version used, and timestamps record when the file was made and last modified. Harmless — until it isn't. An anonymous report with the whistleblower's name in the author field. A "final" proposal whose modification date shows it was edited an hour after the meeting. A tender document revealing which agency actually wrote it. This tool shows you those fields first, then hands you a copy with them gone.

How the cleaning works

Drop a PDF and its document metadata is displayed — title, author, subject, keywords, creating software, PDF producer, and both timestamps. The cleaned copy is built by copying every page into a brand-new document: the metadata containers themselves are left behind, including the XMP block, a second, less-visible metadata store that simple field-clearing tools miss. Page content is copied without re-rendering, so quality and selectable text are untouched. One disclosed side effect: document-level extras like navigation bookmarks and file attachments don't travel to the new copy either.

Inspected locally — the only sensible way

Uploading a document to a server to remove identifying information is a contradiction. Here the inspection and the cleaning both run in your browser: the PDF is parsed on your machine, the cleaned copy is assembled on your machine, and nothing about the file is transmitted anywhere. Note the honest limit — this cleans document metadata, not content. A name typed on the page, or hidden text a bad redaction left behind, is content; for blacking out on-page information, use a proper redaction tool.

Frequently asked questions

Is my PDF uploaded to inspect it?

No. Both the metadata viewer and the cleaner run entirely in your browser — the document never crosses the network in either direction.

Does this also remove the hidden XMP metadata?

Yes. The cleaned copy is a fresh document that the original's Info dictionary and XMP metadata stream are never copied into — both stores are left behind entirely.

Will cleaning change how my PDF looks?

No. Pages are copied without re-rendering, so layout, quality, and selectable text are identical. Navigation bookmarks and embedded attachments, however, are removed along with the metadata.

Does this hide my name if it's typed on the page?

No — page content is untouched. Metadata removal covers the file's hidden fields only; text visible on the page needs redaction, which is a different operation.