How to Remove Metadata From a PDF
Quick answer: Every PDF carries hidden metadata — author name, software used, edit history. PDFslime doesn't have a dedicated metadata scrubber yet, but your OS's file properties panel or a dedicated metadata tool can clear it before you share a document.
Before you send a PDF outside your organization, it's worth checking what's riding along invisibly in the file. PDF metadata can include the author's name, the software that created it, timestamps, and sometimes even the computer's username.
What's in PDF Metadata
- Author: often the real name or username of whoever created the file.
- Producer/Creator: the software used (e.g. "Microsoft Word", "Adobe Acrobat").
- Dates: creation and last-modified timestamps.
- Title/Subject/Keywords: fields set manually or auto-filled by the source app.
None of this is usually sensitive, but for legal filings, leaked drafts, or anonymous submissions, it can reveal more than intended.
How to Check and Remove It
- Windows: right-click the file > Properties > Details tab, then "Remove Properties and Personal Information".
- macOS: open in Preview, then Tools > Show Inspector to view metadata (macOS doesn't offer one-click removal — re-exporting via Print > Save as PDF strips most fields).
- Re-saving through a different tool often drops the original author/producer fields, since the new tool writes its own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not as a dedicated feature. Some tools may rewrite metadata fields as a side effect of processing the file, but it isn't guaranteed — check your OS's file properties for a reliable way to clear it.
Usually low-risk, but it can identify the author or the software/organization that produced a document — worth checking before sharing anything sensitive or anonymous.
No — metadata is separate from the visible page content. Clearing it doesn't change how the document looks.