How to remove metadata from a PDF

PDF metadata is information stored inside the file about who made it, with what software and when. To remove it, turn on “Remove all metadata” in the properties tool and download the cleaned file.

A PDF usually records a title, an author name, the program that created it, and creation and modification dates. Some files also carry hidden XMP metadata with more detail.

Run “Inspect a PDF” first. It lists the properties and flags anything worth removing, such as an author name or embedded comments.

Open “Clean & edit properties”, keep “Remove all metadata” on, and press Apply. The cleaned file has no title, author, software or dates, and the hidden XMP data is gone.

Names and details written in the visible pages are not metadata. Use the redaction tool for those. Comments and form answers can be removed with “Flatten forms”.