PDF Metadata Viewer
See everything a PDF says about where it came from: author, software, dates, edit history, earlier versions and photo locations. Then clean it if you want.
Drop PDFs here
See everything a PDF reveals about you, then save a clean copy or edit its properties.
Up to 20 PDFs at once · 100 MB each
100% in your browser
What can a PDF metadata viewer show you?
Document properties in a PDF reader show only a handful of fields. A metadata viewer reads the whole file: the information dictionary, the XMP block with its edit history and document IDs, how many times the file was saved, embedded photos with camera and GPS data, comment authors, attachments and scripts. Use it to check a file before you share it, or to learn where a document you received came from.
How to view PDF metadata
- Choose Open File and select a PDF, or several to compare them.
- Read the summary of what the file reveals, sorted by risk.
- Check Document properties, open XMP metadata for edit history and IDs, and review Hidden data for versions, photos, comments and attachments.
- Choose Copy metadata report to paste the details into an email, a ticket or your notes.
- To share a clean copy, choose Remove metadata and download.
Hidden data a PDF can contain
| Hidden data | Example | Removed |
|---|---|---|
| Document properties | Author: Jordan Avery · Title: Q3 Proposal – DRAFT v7 | Yes, or edit them |
| Software and dates | Created with Microsoft Word · Modified 30 Sep 2026 | Yes |
| XMP metadata | Edit history, document and instance IDs, original file details | Yes |
| Earlier versions | Text deleted in a later save, still stored in the file | Yes, the file is rebuilt |
| Document ID | A unique code that links copies of the same file | Yes |
| Photo metadata | Camera model, editing app, GPS coordinates in embedded JPEGs | Yes |
| Comments | Reviewer names and comment dates | Author names removed by default |
| Attachments and scripts | Embedded spreadsheets, JavaScript that runs on opening | Yes |
| Thumbnails and app data | Page previews, private data saved by Illustrator or Word | Yes |
Why use this PDF metadata remover
- See before you remove
- Every finding is listed in plain language and ranked by risk, so you know what your file was revealing.
- Goes beyond author and title
- It also removes XMP history, document IDs, earlier versions, photo GPS, comment authors, attachments and scripts.
- Verified result
- The cleaned file is read back and compared with the original, so you can see exactly what changed.
- Private by design
- Your PDF is processed on your device. There is no upload, account or file retention period.
- Batch cleaning
- Open up to 20 PDFs, review each one, and download them all as a ZIP file.
- Edit when you need to
- Switch to Edit to set a proper title, author or custom fields instead of removing everything.
When to remove PDF metadata
- Before sending documents outside
- Proposals, quotes and contracts often name their author, client codes and internal software.
- Job applications
- Remove old titles, previous employers' software and earlier drafts from your CV.
- Legal and regulatory filings
- Remove author names, edit history and hidden earlier versions before disclosure.
- Anonymous submissions
- Peer review, whistleblowing and blind applications depend on removing names from the file.
- Publishing on the web
- Set a clear title for search results and remove internal paths and draft names.
- Photos inside reports
- Site reports and listings often embed phone photos that still carry GPS coordinates.
How this tool compares with other PDF metadata removers
Based on what each tool states on its own page, reviewed in October 2026. Check each site for current details.
| Tool | Where the PDF is processed | What it covers | Free use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital ToolPad | In your browser | Properties, XMP, history, earlier versions, document ID, photo EXIF/GPS, comments, attachments, scripts | Free, 20 files at once |
| PDF24 Remove metadata | PDF24 servers in Germany | Author, creator, dates, software, keywords, title | Free |
| Adobe Acrobat Pro | Desktop app | Document properties and Remove Hidden Information | Paid subscription |
| Sejda | Online service | Remove all, or edit standard and custom fields | 3 tasks per hour, 200 pages |
| GroupDocs Metadata | Online service | Metadata and properties | 3 files per day, 40 MB |
| EmbedPDF | In your browser | View and edit properties, XMP and custom fields | Free |
| Pics.io | Online service | Shows and removes PDF metadata | Free |
How the cleaning works
The PDF is parsed with pdf-lib in your browser. The document properties, XMP streams, document ID and the other items you select are deleted. Every object that can no longer be reached from the document is then discarded, including leftovers of earlier versions, and the PDF is written again as a single new version.
Embedded JPEG photos are cleaned at the byte level: EXIF, XMP, IPTC and comment segments are removed, while the colour profile and colour-transform segments are kept so the photo looks the same. The new file is then read back and compared with the original.
Metadata, redaction and other files
Metadata removal does not touch what is printed on the page. To permanently remove names, account numbers or signatures from the pages themselves, use Redact PDF. For Word files, the Word metadata remover deletes authors, comments and tracked changes. For photos, use the photo metadata remover.
Example: check a PDF before you send it to a client
Before sending a quote, open it in the viewer. The summary shows your colleague as author, the internal project code in the keywords, and two saved versions. Remove the metadata, download the clean copy, then open the clean copy to confirm the report is empty.
What to expect from the result
Removing metadata does not change visible content. Names, numbers or logos printed on the pages stay, so use a redaction tool for those. Encrypted PDFs must be unlocked first. Removing XMP makes PDF/A archive files non-compliant, and any change invalidates a digital signature; both cases are flagged. Only JPEG photo metadata is cleaned; other image types rarely carry EXIF. Metadata added by another app or service after you send the file is outside this tool's control.
PDF Metadata Viewer questions
How can I see who created a PDF?
Open the PDF here and look at Author in Document properties and Author in the XMP metadata. The app that created it and the PDF producer often reveal the organisation's software too. These fields can be edited or empty, so treat them as clues rather than proof.
How do I check when a PDF was created and last modified?
The Created and Modified dates appear under Document properties, and the XMP history lists each save with its date and software. A saved-versions count above one means the file was changed after it was first created.
Can a PDF reveal my location?
The PDF properties don't record location, but photos placed in a PDF often keep the GPS coordinates from the phone or camera that took them. The viewer lists every embedded photo with GPS data and its page, and the remover deletes it.
Can deleted text be recovered from a PDF?
Often, yes. Many editors save changes by appending them to the end of the file, so the earlier version, including text you deleted, is still inside. The tool reports how many times a PDF was saved this way. Cleaning rebuilds the file with only the current version and drops anything no longer used.
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. The PDF is read and rewritten by your browser on your own device. Nothing is sent anywhere, so it is safe for contracts, CVs, legal files and reports you have not published yet. Closing the tab discards everything.