How to use the PDF metadata remover
- Drop a PDF onto the box or press Choose a file.
- Press Remove metadata. There are no settings.
- Read the summary, which lists the properties that were removed, for example Removed: Producer, ModDate, Creator, CreationDate, Title, Author.
- Download the cleaned copy, named with
-cleanadded.
What it does and when to use it
Office apps and PDF printers quietly write information into every PDF: your account name as Author, the exact app and version as Creator and Producer, and the date and time the file was made and last changed. A title may still read “Copy of salary review DRAFT”. When you send a CV, publish a report, submit a tender, or share a file with someone outside your organisation, that data travels with it and anyone can read it in their PDF reader’s properties.
Removing it is a quick privacy step before sharing. If you would rather set clean, accurate values than leave the fields empty, for example a proper title, use the PDF metadata editor instead.
How it works
pdf-lib (@cantoo/pdf-lib) opens the file in your browser. The tool records the name of every entry in the document information dictionary, then replaces that dictionary with an empty one. It deletes the document’s XMP metadata stream and any XMP stream attached to a page, and saves the file without letting the library add its own Producer or dates. The page contents are not touched, so text, images, links and form fields work as before. Nothing is uploaded or downloaded.
Worked examples
A report exported from Word. A 12-page file with Title Quarterly report, Author Finance team, Creator Microsoft Word, Producer Microsoft: Print To PDF and both dates. The summary reads Removed: Producer, ModDate, Creator, CreationDate, Title, Author. In the metadata viewer, all of those now show a dash.
A file made by design software. If the PDF also has an XMP stream, the list ends with XMP metadata.
A file with nothing to remove. The summary reads No document metadata was present, and you still get a clean re-saved copy.
Limits and tips
- Some apps show the file name as the title when the title is empty, so rename the file too if it gives something away.
- Editing the cleaned file in another app may add new metadata; clean it again as the last step.
- Password-protected files must be unlocked first with Unlock PDF.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is removed?
What is not removed?
Does removing metadata make a document anonymous?
How can I check that it worked?
How do we know nothing is uploaded? Test it yourself on the privacy proof page.