Remove PDF author and metadata: before/after checks
Updated 2026-09-06.
Choose up to ten unlocked PDFs, each under 25 MB, and run Clear and verify metadata. The result table shows title, author, subject, keywords, creator, producer and dates before and after processing. Review the report, then download separate copies or the batch ZIP. Keep your original PDFs until you have opened and inspected the cleaned copies.
The browser removes the PDF document-information dictionary and standard XMP metadata references and streams. It saves a new copy, reopens it with metadata auto-generation disabled and checks that the common document properties are empty. A visible author name printed on a page is page content and is not removed by this workflow.
Metadata can also appear in attached files, image payloads, annotations or visible text. Clearing document properties does not guarantee anonymity or redact the document. Review those separately when sharing sensitive material. Modifying a signed PDF changes the signed bytes and invalidates existing digital signatures.
Choose an output name that distinguishes the cleaned copy from the original. When processing several documents, download the ZIP and compare its file count with your selection. Each result has its own property report; do not infer the whole batch from one file.
Open a cleaned PDF in your usual desktop reader and inspect Document Properties. If a private label remains on the page, use a proper redaction workflow for that visible content. Recheck attachments separately before publishing the result.
Interpret the metadata report
| Property | Before example | After check |
|---|---|---|
| Author | Sample User | Not set |
| Title | Internal draft | Not set |
| Visible page heading | Internal draft | Still visible; this is not redaction |
The before/after report covers common PDF document properties, with standard XMP removed during rewriting. It does not promise that attachments, annotations or visible page text contain no identifying information. Open the copy in another reader and inspect its properties as a second check. Keep signed originals because editing changes signed bytes.