Remove Metadata

Every PDF carries metadata that can reveal who created it, what software was used, when it was last modified, and more. This tool strips all of it -- the info dictionary, XMP metadata streams, document IDs, and application-specific data -- leaving a clean document with no trace of its origin.

How It Works

1. Upload a PDF file.
2. Click Remove Metadata.
3. Download the cleaned file.

No options to configure. The tool is thorough by design: it clears everything.

What Gets Removed

• Info dictionary fields: Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Creator, Producer, creation date, modification date
• XMP metadata stream: The XML-based metadata block stored in the document catalog
• Document IDs: Unique identifiers in the PDF trailer that can be used to track a document across systems
• PieceInfo: Application-specific metadata added by programs like Illustrator or InDesign

What Stays

• All visible page content (text, images, graphics)
• Form fields and annotations
• Bookmarks and links
• The document structure itself

Use Cases

• Removing your name and organization from a document before publishing it anonymously
• Stripping creation timestamps that reveal when a document was prepared
• Cleaning producer strings that identify your PDF software stack
• Preparing documents for regulatory submissions that require metadata-free PDFs
• Removing edit history traces before sharing a document externally

Tips

• Use the View Metadata tool first to see exactly what metadata your PDF contains before stripping it.
• If you need to remove metadata and JavaScript, annotations, and embedded files, use Sanitize PDF for a more thorough cleaning.
• Metadata removal is permanent. Keep your original if you might need that data later.

Related Tools

• Sanitize PDF -- remove metadata plus scripts, attachments, and more
• Encrypt PDF -- protect the cleaned PDF with a password
• Compress PDF -- removing metadata can slightly reduce file size; compress for more savings