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Edit PDF Metadata Free —
View & Change PDF Properties

Instantly view, edit, and remove PDF document properties — title, author, subject, keywords, and more. Your file never leaves your device.

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The main title displayed in PDF viewers and search results.

0 / 100

Person or organisation who created the document.

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A brief summary or subject of the document content.

0 / 500

Comma-separated keywords for searchability.

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Software used to originally create the document.

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Tool used to produce the PDF file.

Document Info (Read-only)

PDF Information

File name
File size
Pages
PDF version
Encrypted
Metadata status

Completeness Score

Fill in all fields to reach 100%

0% 0 of 6

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Step-by-Step Guide

How to Edit PDF Metadata

Three steps. Under 30 seconds. No signup, no upload.

Upload Your PDF

Drag and drop your file onto the upload zone above, or click to browse. Reads directly from your device — no server involved. Works with any PDF up to 200 MB.

Drag & Drop 100% Private Up to 200 MB

Edit Metadata Fields

Modify title, author, subject, keywords, creator, and producer. Watch the completeness ring update in real time. Use Remove All to strip everything at once.

6 Fields Live Score JSON Import

Download Updated PDF

Click Update PDF and the new file downloads instantly. Generated entirely in your browser — the original is never touched or stored.

Instant Download No Watermark Original Safe

Everything You Need to Manage PDF Metadata

A complete metadata editor built for speed, privacy, and ease of use.

Full Metadata Editing

Edit title, author, subject, keywords, creator, and producer. Each field has validation, character limits, and live counters.

100% Private

Everything runs in your browser. No uploads, no servers, no data collection. Your files and metadata stay completely private.

Instant Processing

Metadata is read and written in milliseconds using pdf-lib. No waiting for server round-trips. Even 100 MB PDFs process in seconds.

Completeness Score

A real-time completeness ring shows which fields are filled. Aim for 100% to maximise document discoverability.

Export & Import

Export metadata as JSON for records, or import metadata from another PDF to apply the same properties across multiple documents.

Remove All Metadata

Strip all metadata from a PDF with one click. Ideal for privacy, sharing sensitive documents, or preparing files for publication.

Your Privacy is Guaranteed

PDFcrest's metadata editor processes everything locally inside your browser using JavaScript and WebAssembly. No file data, metadata, or personal information ever reaches our servers.

Nothing uploaded
Nothing stored
Works offline
No signup needed
No tracking
100% free

Who Should Use a PDF Metadata Editor?

Whether you're publishing documents, managing records, or protecting your privacy, editing PDF properties is a practical skill for many roles.

Authors & Publishers

Set accurate title, author, and subject fields before distributing eBooks, reports, or papers. Proper PDF document properties improve discoverability in online libraries and search results.

Legal & Compliance Teams

Strip sensitive creator or software metadata from legal documents before sharing with clients or courts. Ensure confidential authoring information isn't inadvertently disclosed in PDF properties.

Marketers & Content Creators

Add keyword-rich PDF metadata to whitepapers, case studies, and brochures to improve search engine indexing. Google and Bing index PDF titles and subjects — well-tagged PDFs rank higher.

Records & Archive Managers

Standardise metadata across large document collections. Use consistent subject and keyword tagging so enterprise document management systems and digital archives can accurately categorise and retrieve files.

Privacy-Conscious Users

PDFs created in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or Adobe Acrobat often embed your real name, company, and computer username in the metadata. Remove all metadata before sharing sensitive files publicly.

IT Admins & Developers

Use the JSON export feature to extract metadata from multiple PDFs programmatically, or bulk-apply consistent properties. The JSON import lets you reuse one metadata template across an entire document library.

What Each PDF Metadata Field Means

Understanding the six standard PDF document properties helps you fill them correctly and maximise document discoverability.

Title

The document's official name. Search engines index this field prominently — a descriptive title like "2024 Annual Marketing Report" improves PDF search ranking more than a generic "document1" filename. Limit: 200 characters.

Author

The person or organisation responsible for the content. Used by citation managers (Zotero, Mendeley), academic databases, and document management systems. For privacy, clear this field before sharing externally.

Subject

A brief summary or category description of the document. Think of it as a subtitle or abstract — "Q3 Financial Results" or "Product Safety Guidelines". Enterprise DMS tools use this to auto-categorise incoming files.

Keywords

A comma-separated list of search terms relevant to the document. Google and Bing use these when indexing PDFs. Use long-tail keyword phrases — for example "change pdf metadata online, edit pdf properties, pdf document properties editor". Limit: 500 characters.

Creator

The application that originally authored the document — e.g. "Microsoft Word 365", "Adobe InDesign", or "Google Docs". Editing this field is common when anonymising documents or correcting inaccurate software strings left by older authoring tools.

Producer

The PDF conversion software — e.g. "Adobe PDF Library 23.1", "Ghostscript 10.0", or "PDFKit". Often reveals which internal tools your organisation uses. Remove this for competitive or privacy reasons before publishing documents externally.

Pro Tips for PDF Metadata

Practical guidance to get the most out of your PDF document properties.

Use keywords naturally in your Title and Subject

Search engines like Google give weight to a PDF's Title field. Instead of "Report_v3_final", use "2024 Q3 Revenue Report — PDFcrest Finance". Include the primary keyword once in the title and once in the subject for best SEO results.

Always clear metadata before sharing sensitive documents

PDFs generated by Word and Google Docs often include your real name, employer, and revision history in the metadata. Before emailing contracts, medical records, or legal documents to external parties, use Remove All Metadata and verify the properties panel shows empty fields.

Use Export JSON + Import from PDF for batch workflows

If you need to apply the same metadata to multiple PDFs — for example, tagging 20 documents with the same company, year, and keyword set — export the metadata as JSON from one finished document, then use Import from PDF to copy those exact properties onto each subsequent file.

Target the completeness score of 100%

The real-time completeness ring tracks how many of the six editable fields are filled. Documents with complete metadata are more likely to be correctly indexed, cited, and retrieved in document search systems. Aim for 100% for any document intended for public distribution or long-term archiving.

Unlock encrypted PDFs first

Password-protected PDFs cannot have their metadata edited until decrypted. Use the Unlock PDF tool to remove the password, then edit and update the metadata. Re-apply password protection with the Protect PDF tool after.

Why Editing PDF Metadata Matters

PDF properties affect how your documents appear in search results, document management systems, and PDF viewers. Here is what you need to know.

SEO & Search Discovery

Google indexes PDF files the same way it indexes web pages. The Title you set in the metadata editor becomes the clickable headline in search results. The Subject and Keywords fields add topical signals. A PDF with a blank or auto-generated title like "Untitled" is a missed ranking opportunity — edit PDF metadata to take control of how your document appears in Google and Bing.

Document Management Systems

Enterprise DMS platforms — SharePoint, Documentum, OpenText, and others — use PDF properties to auto-classify, tag, and route documents. If Title or Author fields are empty or inaccurate, files end up miscategorised or lost. Using this PDF properties editor before uploading to a DMS ensures every document is correctly indexed and retrievable without manual tagging.

Privacy & Compliance

PDFs created in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Adobe Acrobat automatically embed your name, organisation, computer username, and the exact software version used. Sending a document externally without reviewing these fields can inadvertently expose confidential authorship details. Use Remove All Metadata to strip creator and producer fields before sharing sensitive legal, financial, or HR documents.

How Each PDF Property Field Is Used

Reference guide to what each field in the PDF metadata editor actually controls

Field Visible in Search? Used by DMS? Privacy Risk? Priority to Fill
Title ✓ Yes — headline ✓ Yes Low 🔴 Critical
Author Sometimes ✓ Yes ⚠ Medium 🟠 High
Subject ✓ Snippet signal ✓ Yes Low 🟠 High
Keywords ✓ Relevance signal ✓ Yes Low 🟡 Medium
Creator No Rarely ⚠ High 🟡 Clear if sharing
Producer No Rarely ⚠ High 🟡 Clear if sharing

How to Edit PDF Metadata — Platform Guide

WINWindows

Open this page in Chrome or Edge, upload your PDF, edit the properties, and click Update PDF. Alternatively, right-click any PDF → Properties → Details tab to view (but not edit) metadata. Adobe Acrobat Pro can edit properties via File → Properties, but requires a paid subscription.

MACmacOS

Use this browser-based PDF metadata editor in Safari or Chrome — no installation needed. Preview (built-in) can display metadata via Tools → Show Inspector but cannot edit PDF document properties. Use this tool to change PDF title, author, subject, and keywords on any Mac without Acrobat.

iOSiPhone & Android

Open this page in Safari (iPhone) or Chrome (Android) and upload your PDF from Files or Google Drive. The browser-based editor runs fully on mobile — tap fields to edit, then tap Update PDF to save. No app download required to edit PDF properties on iPhone or Android.

CBChromebook

Open this page in Chrome, upload your PDF, and use the metadata editor directly. The tool runs entirely in the browser — no Linux apps, Android apps, or file system access needed. Ideal for Chromebooks in education or enterprise environments with restricted software installs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about editing PDF metadata

PDF metadata is hidden information embedded in a document file that describes its content — separate from the visible text. It includes the title, author, subject, keywords, creator (the original application), producer (the PDF conversion tool), and creation/modification dates. Search engines, document management systems, and PDF viewers all use this information to organise, index, and display documents correctly.
No — nothing is ever uploaded. This PDF metadata editor runs entirely inside your web browser using JavaScript and the open-source pdf-lib library. Your file is read from local storage, all editing happens in memory, and the updated PDF is downloaded directly to your device. No data reaches our servers or any third party at any point.
Upload your PDF, then click the Remove All Metadata button in the Quick Actions panel. A confirmation dialog will appear — confirm to clear all six editable fields (title, author, subject, keywords, creator, producer). Then click Update PDF to download the stripped, metadata-free version. You can still reset to the original values before downloading.
Yes — no Adobe Acrobat or any paid software needed. Simply upload your PDF, type your new Author and Title values into the editor fields, then click Update PDF. A new PDF with updated properties downloads to your device instantly. Your original file is never modified.
No. Metadata is stored separately from the document body. Editing PDF properties — title, author, subject, keywords, creator, producer — has zero effect on the visible text, images, layout, or formatting inside the PDF. The page count, fonts, and all content remain exactly as they were.
Creator is the application that created the original document — for example, Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or Adobe InDesign. Producer is the software that converted it into PDF format — for example, Adobe Acrobat, Ghostscript, or macOS Print. Both fields can reveal which internal tools your organisation uses, so legal and privacy teams often clear them before sharing documents externally.
Google and Bing index PDFs directly. The Title field acts like an HTML title tag in search results — it becomes the clickable headline. The Subject and Keywords fields contribute to topical relevance. PDFs with accurate, keyword-rich metadata consistently rank higher than the same files with missing or auto-generated properties. Editing PDF metadata is therefore a legitimate SEO action for any document intended for public distribution.
Yes — because this is a browser-based PDF metadata editor, it works on any device with a modern web browser. Open the tool on Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge on Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, or Android. No app to install, no plugin, no extension required.
PDF document properties are often set automatically by the application that created or exported the file. Microsoft Word uses your Windows account name as Author, Google Docs may leave the title blank, and Adobe Acrobat can set Creator and Producer to its own branding. If the title in search results or a PDF viewer looks wrong, edit PDF metadata here — type the correct values and click Update PDF to fix it permanently.
Yes. Once the page has loaded, all processing happens locally in your browser. You can disconnect from the internet and continue editing PDF properties without interruption. This also means the tool works inside corporate networks with strict firewall rules — no outbound connections are needed.
Completely free — no account, no watermarks, no file-size limits, no usage caps. PDFcrest uses the open-source pdf-lib library, which runs entirely in the browser at no cost. Every feature — including Export JSON, Import from PDF, and Remove All Metadata — is available with no premium tier needed.
Not directly — encrypted PDFs cannot be parsed or modified without the correct password. Use the Unlock PDF tool first to remove the password, then edit the metadata here. Re-apply protection afterwards with the Protect PDF tool if needed.
Only marginally — metadata is typically a few kilobytes within the overall file. If you need to significantly reduce a PDF's file size, use the Compress PDF tool, which re-compresses images and removes unused resources. Clearing metadata alone will not produce a meaningful size reduction.
Your original file is never touched. The tool reads the file into browser memory, generates a new PDF with your updated metadata, and downloads that as a separate file. The file on your disk remains unchanged. You can compare both by opening them side by side in any PDF viewer to confirm the changes.
Not in a single step — this editor handles one PDF at a time. However, you can use the Export JSON button to save a set of metadata values, then click Import from PDF on subsequent files to apply the same properties quickly. This makes it practical to standardise metadata across a batch of related documents without re-typing values each time.
Just upload your PDF — the editor instantly shows all current metadata fields and the PDF Information panel (file size, page count, PDF version, encryption status). If you don't make any changes and close the tab, nothing is altered. Alternatively, on Windows right-click the PDF → Properties → Details tab; on Mac, open in Preview → Tools → Show Inspector.