PDF Metadata Editor - View and Edit PDF Properties Online Free

Published March 25, 2026

Every PDF contains hidden information called metadata — the title, author, creation date, subject, and keywords stored inside the file. Sometimes this metadata is wrong, outdated, or contains sensitive information you don't want to share. A PDF metadata editor lets you view and modify these properties without opening the document content itself.

What Is PDF Metadata?

PDF metadata is information stored within the PDF file that describes the document. It's not visible on the pages themselves — it lives in the file's properties. Standard PDF metadata fields include:

  • Title: The document's official title (may differ from the filename)
  • Author: The person or organization who created the document
  • Subject: A brief description of the document's topic
  • Keywords: Tags used for search and classification
  • Creator: The application used to create the PDF (e.g., "Microsoft Word")
  • Producer: The software that converted or generated the PDF
  • Created Date: When the document was originally created
  • Modified Date: When the document was last changed

Why Edit PDF Metadata?

  • Privacy: Remove author names, company information, or software details before sharing externally
  • Professionalism: Correct wrong titles or outdated author information in final documents
  • SEO and discoverability: Add accurate titles and keywords to improve document searchability
  • Consistency: Standardize metadata across a batch of documents for better organization
  • Remove sensitive data: Strip creation software details that might reveal internal tools or processes
  • Correct errors: Fix metadata automatically set incorrectly by conversion software

How to View PDF Metadata Free

Before editing, you can view existing PDF metadata using several free methods:

  • Adobe Acrobat Reader (free): File > Properties (Ctrl+D) to see Document Properties including all metadata fields
  • Chrome browser: Open the PDF in Chrome, click the info icon or check the document properties
  • Mac Preview: Tools > Show Inspector > General tab to view basic PDF metadata
  • ExifTool (command line): Run exiftool document.pdf to see all metadata including hidden XMP data
  • PDF Properties dialog: Right-click a PDF in Windows Explorer and select Properties to see basic information

How to Edit PDF Metadata Online Free

Editing PDF metadata without Adobe Acrobat Pro:

  1. Upload your PDF to PeacefulPDF
  2. Navigate to the PDF metadata editor
  3. View the current metadata fields
  4. Edit the title, author, subject, keywords, or other properties
  5. Save and download your updated PDF

The document content remains unchanged — only the metadata properties are updated. The process takes seconds and requires no software installation.

Editing PDF Metadata with Desktop Tools

For advanced metadata editing or batch processing, these desktop tools are useful:

  • Adobe Acrobat Pro: File > Document Properties. Full metadata editing plus XMP data. Paid software.
  • LibreOffice Writer: Open the PDF (or save from Writer), then File > Properties to set title, subject, keywords, and comments.
  • ExifTool (free): Powerful command-line tool. Edit any metadata field: exiftool -Title="New Title" -Author="Name" file.pdf
  • PDF24 Creator: Free desktop tool with a metadata editor interface
  • PDF-XChange Editor: Free version supports basic metadata editing

Removing PDF Metadata (Sanitizing PDFs)

Before sharing a PDF externally, it's good practice to sanitize metadata — remove or redact sensitive information:

  • Author and company names: These reveal internal contacts or organizational structure
  • Creation software: Reveals what applications your organization uses
  • Revision history: Some PDFs embed document history that can reveal editing patterns
  • Hidden comments: Review comments or tracked changes embedded in metadata

Use Adobe Acrobat's "Sanitize Document" feature or the Examine Document tool to find and remove hidden metadata before sending sensitive documents.

PDF Metadata and SEO

If your PDFs are publicly accessible on a website, metadata matters for search engine optimization. Google indexes PDF files and uses the title and description fields in search results. Setting accurate, keyword-rich metadata in your PDFs can improve their visibility in search:

  • Set a clear, descriptive title (appears in Google search results)
  • Write a useful subject/description field
  • Add relevant keywords to the keywords field
  • Ensure the author field is accurate for credibility signals

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit PDF metadata without Adobe Acrobat?
Yes — PeacefulPDF, ExifTool, and LibreOffice all allow metadata editing without Acrobat. Online tools are the easiest free option.

Does editing metadata change the PDF content?
No — metadata editing only changes the document properties (title, author, etc.). The pages, text, and images in the PDF are completely unchanged.

How do I remove all metadata from a PDF?
Use Adobe Acrobat's Sanitize Document feature, or re-print/re-save the PDF using a fresh export. ExifTool can also strip all metadata with exiftool -all= file.pdf.

Is PDF metadata the same as XMP data?
PDF metadata can be stored in two formats: the traditional Document Information Dictionary and the newer XMP (Extensible Metadata Platform) format. Modern PDFs often contain both. Most tools edit both when you change the standard fields.