PDF metadata cleaner
How to Remove Metadata from PDF
Deep scan and purge 21 categories of metadata from your PDF: protect your privacy before sharing documents publicly.
- Runs in your browser
- Nothing uploaded
- No sign-up
- Free, no daily limits
- 1Add your file
- 2Choose settings
- 3Download
Drop a PDF here
Choose a fileSelect a PDF to scan and remove its metadata · up to 100 MB · nothing is uploaded
Your file is safe
It is processed inside this browser tab and never uploaded, and it is gone when you close the page.
Good to know
- Cleaning metadata never changes what is printed on the page.
- Clearing Interactive Content also deletes form answers, so flatten a form first.
- The scan shows what was found before you choose what to remove.
How to Remove Metadata from PDF Free Online
PDF Privacy Cleaner scans a PDF for hidden metadata and clears the parts you choose, without uploading the file. It reads the document info fields, XMP stream, document IDs, annotations, attachments, embedded photo EXIF and earlier revisions, shows what each category holds, then rewrites the file and rescans it so you can see the result.
Last updated
Every PDF carries a secondary layer of hidden identification data: author names and company affiliations populated by word processors, creation software and versions, document and instance UUIDs, XML metadata streams (XMP), EXIF GPS coordinates embedded in photos, and editing history. Remove PDF Metadata scans for 21 discrete properties across eight categories, evaluates a 1-to-10 privacy risk score, and lets you purge them client-side in your browser.
The scan executes the instant you select your file, producing an itemised inventory of exactly what data exists. You can clear every category at once, select specific entries, or replace Author and Title with your organization's official details. A verifiable JSON removal report is generated alongside your cleaned PDF.
How it works
1. Scan the document
Select or drop a PDF up to 100 MB into the scanner. The in-browser parser audits the file dictionary, calculates a Privacy Risk Score out of 10, and tallies the total items found.
2. Review the eight metadata categories
Examine the itemised categories: Document Info, Document IDs & Revisions, Structured Metadata, Interactive Content, Embedded Content & Fonts, Navigation & Viewing, Output & Print, and Incremental Updates.
3. Configure replacements or clear all
Select All to scrub all categories, or type replacement values for Title, Author, and Subject. The Creator and Producer fields are always emptied to remove software footprints.
4. Clean, verify, and download
Click Clean All Metadata. TryDocsy strips the chosen keys, runs a byte-level verification check to prove values were purged, and provides both the cleaned PDF and a JSON audit report.
When you'd use it
Scrubbing personal account details before public release
Documents exported from personal laptops regularly embed the operating system account username in the Author field. Clearing or replacing it ensures corporate anonymity.
Submitting blind competitive proposals and tenders
Document IDs, template names, and revision markers reveal internal drafting schedules and software tools. Stripping metadata prevents leakage of competitor intelligence.
Eliminating smartphone GPS tags from embedded photos
When photographs taken on mobile devices are placed into a document, their EXIF blocks can leak precise geographic coordinates. The cleaner zeroes EXIF headers without altering image pixels.
Auditing untrusted files received from external contacts
Even without saving a cleaned copy, the scanner provides immediate visibility into whether a PDF carries JavaScript triggers, file attachments, or hidden incremental updates.
How to remove metadata from a PDF step by step
To strip hidden properties and tracking markers from any PDF using TryDocsy, follow these four simple steps:
1. Drop your file into the privacy scanner: Select or drag any PDF up to 100 MB. The browser-based engine instantly audits the file catalog and presents an inventory of detected metadata across eight categories.
2. Choose categories to purge: Check 'Select All' to remove all 21 hidden properties at once, or selectively pick categories such as Document Info, Document IDs, or Embedded Content EXIF.
3. Provide optional replacement values: If your organization requires standard publishing labels rather than empty values, enter custom Title, Author, or Subject text under Custom Replacement Values.
4. Click Clean All Metadata and download: The tool reconstructs the document dictionary without the targeted metadata keys, runs an automated byte-level verification check to prove values were purged, and delivers both your cleaned PDF and an audit report.
Use this, not that: Remove Metadata vs Edit PDF Metadata
TryDocsy offers two dedicated metadata tools tailored to different workflows:
- **Use Remove PDF Metadata** when your goal is privacy, compliance, or security. This tool performs a deep scrub across 21 properties in eight categories: wiping document IDs, clearing XMP streams, zeroing photo EXIF headers, and removing revision markers.
- **Use Edit PDF Metadata** when your goal is curation or cataloguing. That tool lets you view and rewrite the six standard Info fields (Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Creator, Producer) and updates the document catalog so file search engines index the file correctly.
Which tool do I need: Redact, Sanitize, Remove Metadata, or Flatten?
Securing a PDF involves different mechanisms depending on what data needs to be removed. Here is how TryDocsy's four privacy tools differ in code execution and purpose:
| Tool | Primary Purpose | How It Works in Code | Vector Text Retained? | |---|---|---|---| | Remove Metadata | Delete author identities, software history, and tracking | Clears /Info dictionary keys and XML /Metadata (XMP) streams without altering pages | Yes (100% vector typography retained) | | Redact PDF | Remove visible confidential data (SSNs, names, bank numbers) | Flattens target pages to high-resolution JPEG (scale 2, max 4M pixels); clean pages stay vector | No on redacted pages (text eradicated); Yes on clean pages | | Sanitize PDF | Neutralise active executable content and attachments | Strips /OpenAction, /AA auto-run triggers, /JavaScript, and embedded file streams | Yes (100% vector typography retained) | | Flatten PDF | Lock interactive AcroForm inputs into static page content | Merges field widgets into page content via form.flatten() and deletes the /AcroForm tree | Yes (field text converted to static vector text) |
The eight metadata categories and the EXIF zeroing pass
Document Info includes standard properties: Title, Author, Subject, Creator, Producer, and Keywords. Document IDs & Revisions targets permanent UUIDs (/ID) and PieceInfo dictionaries left by authoring suites. Structured Metadata handles XMP streams, tagged-PDF structure trees, and page labels.
Interactive Content handles annotations, form fields, and JavaScript. Embedded Content & Fonts strips attachments, font metadata, and photo EXIF profiles. Navigation & Viewing strips bookmarks and layers. Output & Print removes print colour intents, and Incremental Updates drops earlier saved versions.
The EXIF removal pass in lib/pdf-metadata.ts uses a specialised lossless routine: instead of re-compressing photos, it scans the raw JPEG bytes of every embedded image and overwrites the APP1 and APP2 markers with zeros. Image clarity remains 100% pristine while all camera make, model, and GPS latitude/longitude data are destroyed.
What metadata cleaning cannot do
Cleaning metadata operates strictly on non-rendered dictionaries. It never modifies printed text, headers, footers, or watermarks appearing on the visible page. If a document has an author name printed in a header, a reference code in a table, or a visible handwritten signature, those remain intact. Use Redact PDF to permanently censor printed page content.
Additionally, cleaning metadata does not remove embedded font program streams (/FontFile2 or /FontFile3) required by PDF viewers to render text glyphs on screen, which may contain internal font creator copyright notices. Furthermore, stripping trailer metadata and modifying internal dictionaries invalidates any existing cryptographic digital signatures or certificate seals on the PDF, as altering the file bytes breaks the cryptographic digest.
The cleaned PDF is not compressed: because the document is re-serialized without object stream packing, file size may increase slightly. Run the cleaned result through Compress PDF if you need a smaller file size for email attachments.
Frequently asked questions
How do I remove hidden author and metadata from a PDF for free?
Upload your PDF to TryDocsy Remove Metadata, select the categories you wish to clear (or click Select All), and click Clean All Metadata. The tool runs locally in your browser to purge the Info dictionary, XMP streams, and EXIF tags without sending your document to an external server.
What is the difference between Remove Metadata and Edit Metadata?
Edit Metadata is designed for revising standard document properties (Title, Author, Subject, Keywords) so files index cleanly. Remove Metadata is a security tool designed to wipe all 21 hidden identification surfaces, including document UUIDs, revision histories, and camera EXIF data.
Does removing metadata delete text or images from the pages?
No. The visual layout, selectable typography, vectors, and embedded images remain completely untouched. Only the background catalog dictionaries and invisible headers are purged.
Does the cleaner remove GPS tags from photos embedded in the PDF?
Yes. The Embedded Content & Fonts category zeroes the APP1 and APP2 segments of embedded JPEG streams, destroying camera models, capture timestamps, and GPS coordinates without re-compressing the image.
Why is the cleaned PDF slightly larger than the original?
TryDocsy re-saves the document without object stream compression to maintain broad compatibility with older PDF readers. This can increase container overhead even though metadata was removed. Use /pdf/compress to reduce file size afterwards.
Can I replace the author name instead of leaving it empty?
Yes. Select Document Info and enter your desired text in the Custom Replacement Values fields for Title, Author, or Subject. The tool writes your custom string in place of the original value.