# PDF Metadata Remover — See & Strip Title, Author, XMP

> See the metadata hiding in a PDF — title, author, scanner app, dates — and download a clean copy with the Info dictionary and XMP stripped. Runs locally.

Source: https://toolpantry.app/pdf-metadata-remover

## About

Author, software, scanner app, dates — see what the file carries, then download a clean copy with the metadata stripped. Content untouched.

## Quick answer

How do I remove metadata from a PDF? Load the file to see its title, author, and software tags, then press "Download clean copy" — the Info dictionary and XMP block are removed and a new PDF is saved, all in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.

## What's hiding in a PDF

- **Info dictionary** — Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Creator and Producer (the apps), CreationDate and ModDate
- **XMP** — an XML block many tools embed, repeating the same fields and sometimes adding more (including GPS in some scan apps)
- **Structural leftovers** — fonts, layers, and embedded files can also carry names; this tool removes the standard metadata, not exotic payloads

## Who this is for

Résumés and cover letters top the list: the Author field often carries your full name, and Producer reveals the software (or the scanner) you used. Then come scanned documents — some scan apps write their name and even a location into XMP — and anything shared publicly: reports, forms, templates. If a PDF goes on a job board, a forum, or a public link, strip it first.

## What "clean copy" does, exactly

The tool deletes the Info dictionary from the trailer and removes the XMP metadata stream from the catalog, then re-saves the document. In our test, the output opened identically in viewers, kept the same page count, and a byte-level search found none of the original metadata strings. Dates get cleared too — a fresh clean file carries no "modified at" fingerprint.

## What it can't do

Metadata removal is not redaction. Text and images on the pages stay exactly as they are — a name printed on page one is still there after cleaning. For images inside PDFs, and photos outside them, metadata is a separate story: the [EXIF viewer](https://toolpantry.app/exif-viewer.html) handles photos, and the [AI image checker](https://toolpantry.app/ai-image-checker.html) reads AI-source labels. Need the file smaller as well? Run the cleaned PDF through the [PDF compressor](https://toolpantry.app/compress-pdf.html) afterward — it also strips metadata as a side effect, though it rasterizes pages, so prefer this tool when you need selectable text.

## Notes

The clean copy keeps every page and pixel; only the metadata structures (Info dictionary and XMP) are deleted. Encrypted PDFs can't be processed — remove the password first.

## FAQ

**What metadata does a PDF contain?**

Most PDFs carry an Info dictionary: title, author, subject, keywords, the app that created and produced the file, and creation/modification dates. Many also embed XMP — an XML block that can repeat all of the above and sometimes more.

**How do I remove metadata from a PDF?**

Load the file here, review what's inside, and press Download clean copy. The tool deletes the Info dictionary and the XMP block, then saves a new PDF — all in your browser, nothing uploaded.

**Does removing metadata change the PDF content?**

No. Pages, text, images, and layout are untouched — only the metadata structures are removed. In our test, the output opened identically and no metadata strings remained in the file bytes.

**Why does PDF metadata matter?**

Résumés reveal your name and the software you used, scanned documents reveal the scanner app (and sometimes its location), and shared reports reveal their author and revision dates. If you're posting a PDF publicly, strip it first.
