How to Edit PDF Metadata Online Free: Title, Author, and More

Every PDF file carries hidden information about itself — who created it, when it was made, what software was used, and sometimes even GPS coordinates or revision history. This metadata is embedded in the file and travels with it everywhere.

Most people never think about PDF metadata. But if you are sharing documents professionally, submitting files to clients, or uploading PDFs to the web, the metadata matters. A document titled "Final FINAL v3 ACTUAL FINAL.pdf" with your personal email as the author does not project professionalism. Here is how to fix it.

What Information Is in PDF Metadata?

PDF metadata includes standard fields and some hidden data:

• Title: The document title (often blank or set to the filename)
• Author: Who created the document
• Subject: A brief description
• Keywords: Searchable keywords for the document
• Creator: The software that created the original document (Word, InDesign, etc.)
• Producer: The software that created the PDF
• Creation date: When the document was first created
• Modification date: When it was last edited

Anyone can view this information by opening the PDF and pressing Ctrl + D (or Command + D on Mac). The Properties dialog shows everything.

Why Edit PDF Metadata?

There are practical reasons beyond vanity:

• Professional appearance: Documents with proper titles and authors look more credible
• SEO: PDF files hosted on websites use their title metadata in search engine results. A properly titled PDF ranks better in Google.
• Organization: Consistent metadata makes documents easier to find in document management systems
• Privacy: Remove personal information (your name, email, edit timestamps) before sharing documents publicly
• Accessibility: Screen readers use metadata to describe documents to visually impaired users

Method 1: Online PDF Metadata Editors

The quickest way to edit metadata without installing anything.

PDF24 Metadata Editor:

1. Go to tools.pdf24.org/pdf-metadata-editor
2. Upload your PDF
3. Edit title, author, subject, keywords, creator, and producer fields
4. Click Apply changes
5. Download the updated PDF

PDF24 processes everything in your browser — your file does not leave your machine. This is important for sensitive documents.

Sejda PDF Editor: Another solid option. Upload, edit the metadata fields, download. Free for documents up to 200 pages or 50 MB. Clean interface, fast processing.

Method 2: Mac Preview

Mac users can edit metadata directly in Preview without any additional tools.

1. Open the PDF in Preview
2. Press Command + I (or go to Tools > Show Inspector)
3. Click the second tab (Document Information — the "i" icon)
4. Edit the Title, Author, Subject, and Keywords fields
5. Close the inspector — changes save automatically

You cannot edit creation date or modification date through Preview, but all other fields are editable. The keywords field accepts multiple keywords separated by commas.

Method 3: ExifTool (Command Line, Powerful)

For批量处理或自动化，ExifTool is the most powerful option. It is free, runs on all platforms, and can modify every metadata field in a PDF — including dates and hidden XMP data.

Basic usage:

1. Install ExifTool from exiftool.org
2. View current metadata: exiftool document.pdf
3. Edit specific fields: exiftool -Title="My Document" -Author="John Smith" document.pdf
4. Remove all metadata: exiftool -all= document.pdf

ExifTool creates a backup of the original file by default (document.pdf_original). This is a nice safety net. You can also batch process an entire folder: exiftool -Author="Company Name" *.pdf

Method 4: Adobe Acrobat Pro

If you have access to Acrobat Pro through work or school:

1. Open the PDF
2. Go to File > Properties (or Ctrl + D)
3. Edit the Description tab fields
4. Click Additional Metadata for XMP data
5. Click OK and save the file

Acrobat also offers a "Remove Hidden Information" tool that sanitizes the entire file — metadata, comments, hidden layers, deleted content, and more. Useful before sharing documents publicly.

SEO Tip: Metadata for Web-Hosted PDFs

If you host PDF files on your website, metadata directly affects SEO. Google uses the PDF title metadata as the search result title. Here is how to optimize:

• Title: Write a descriptive, keyword-rich title. "2026 Marketing Budget Report" beats "budget_final."
• Subject: One clear sentence describing the content. Google sometimes uses this as the snippet.
• Keywords: Include relevant search terms, comma-separated.
• Author: Your brand name, not a personal name (unless you are the brand).

This is low-hanging fruit that most websites ignore. Properly optimized PDF metadata can drive significant organic traffic.

Stripping All Metadata for Privacy

Before sharing a PDF publicly — especially legal, medical, or financial documents — consider stripping all metadata. Here is the quick way:

• Mac: No built-in option. Use ExifTool (exiftool -all= file.pdf)
• Windows: Right-click the file > Properties > Details > "Remove Properties and Personal Information"
• Cross-platform: ExifTool or PDF24's anonymization tool
• Online: PDF24's anonymize feature removes metadata server-side (files are deleted after processing)

This removes author names, creation dates, software information, edit history, and any other identifying data. The document content remains intact.