Runs in your browser with pdf.js and pdf-lib
Edit PDF Metadata Online — title, author, keywords, dates and custom fields
See what a PDF's properties really say, including the XMP block that Acrobat reads, then fix them or clear them before you share the file. The pages themselves are not changed.
- PDF files aren't uploaded to our server
- Shows the real stored values
- XMP kept in step
- Remove all metadata
Edit PDF properties
Add a PDF to see what its properties really say, change or clear any of them, then save. The pages themselves are not changed.
Drop your PDF here
or browse — one PDF, any number of pages
Document
Software
Dates
Shown in your time zone. Leave a date empty to remove it from the file.
Reading
Custom fields
Extra name and value pairs, such as a project number or client name.
XMP metadata
In the file now
Quick actions
Remove all metadata clears every field, the dates and custom fields, and removes the XMP block. Nothing is saved until you click Save PDF.
Your pages
To check you have the right file. Editing metadata doesn't change any page. Click a page to see it full size.
How PDF metadata works
Two records about the file, kept apart from the pages
A PDF can describe itself in the document information and again in an XMP block. Readers pick one or the other, so this tool shows both and writes both.
What you can do
- See Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Creator, Producer and both dates exactly as stored, and what the XMP block says.
- Change or clear any of them; a cleared field is removed from the file, not saved as an empty value.
- Add custom fields in any language, set the document language, and show the title in the viewer's title bar.
- Remove all metadata in one step before you publish a file.
What it doesn't do
- Remove names or details written on the pages, in comments or inside pictures. Use a redaction tool for those.
- Change the dates your computer shows for the file itself; those are set when you download it.
- Keep a PDF/A or PDF/UA claim valid if you remove the XMP block; those standards need it.
- Open password-protected PDFs. Unlock them first.
How to edit PDF metadata in four steps
Look, change, save, check.
Add your PDF
Drop a PDF onto the upload area, or click Select PDF. Every field fills in with what is stored in the file now.
An empty field means the file has no value for it.
Change what you need
- Type over a value, or empty a field to remove it.
- Use Now or Clear for the dates.
- Add custom fields, or click Remove all metadata.
Save PDF
Changed fields are marked and listed above the button, so you can see what will change before you save.
Keep "Update it to match" for files with XMP, so Acrobat shows the new values.
Check and download
The result card reads the saved file back and lists every value in it. Rename the file if you like and download it.
Same document, properties that describe it
The pages are identical; only the record about the file changes.
What to change for your job
Common reasons to edit PDF properties, and what to set for each.
| Job | What matters | What to set |
|---|---|---|
| Publish a PDF on your website | The browser tab and search results show a real name. | Title, Language, and Show the title in the viewer's title bar. |
| Share a file outside your company | No staff names or internal software in the properties. | Remove all metadata, then type only the Title you want. |
| Send final files to a client | Your company shows as the author. | Author, Title, and a custom field such as Project number. |
| Submit a paper or thesis | Properties match the citation. | Title, Author, Subject as the abstract, Keywords as listed in the paper. |
| File documents in a records system | Search by number or status. | Keywords plus custom fields such as Status and Version. |
| Fix a title Acrobat won't update | Acrobat shows the new value. | Keep XMP set to Update it to match, then save. |
Field reference
What each field is for
Where each value comes from and who reads it.
Title, Author, Subject
Shown in the document properties of most readers. Title is shown in place of the file name when the title bar option is on.
Keywords
One line of text, saved exactly as typed. Separate terms with commas; desktop search and document systems can index them.
Creator and Producer
Creator is the program the document was made in, such as a word processor; Producer is what turned it into a PDF. Both can reveal internal software.
Created and Modified
Stored inside the PDF with their time zone, so they travel with the file. They are separate from the dates your computer shows for the download.
Language
A language tag like en-US or gu-IN. Screen readers use it to pick the right voice.
XMP metadata
A second, XML copy of the properties. Acrobat and many asset systems read it first. Updating it keeps any PDF/A or PDF/UA marks already in it.
When the properties don't look right
Identify the problem, then use the matching fix.
Acrobat still shows the old title
The file has XMP metadata and it was left as it was, or the viewer had the old file open.
Choose Update it to match under XMP metadata, save again, and reopen the new file.
A custom field name is refused
It is empty, used twice, or the same as a standard name such as Title.
Follow the message under the custom fields and give it a different name.
A date shows a different hour
The file stores the time with its own time zone; the field shows it in yours.
Nothing to fix: it is the same moment. Set the time you want in your own time zone.
The language is refused
It isn't written as a language tag.
Use a code like en, en-US, gu-IN or hi-IN, or leave it empty.
A name still appears in the file
It is on a page, in a comment or in a picture, not in the properties.
Use Redact PDF for anything on the pages.
A password-protected PDF won't open
Encrypted PDFs can't be rewritten by the in-browser PDF libraries.
Remove the password with Unlock PDF, then add the unlocked copy.
Setting metadata once, correctly
Habits that keep properties useful and private.
Always write a real title
"Untitled" or "Microsoft Word - draft3.docx" is the first thing many readers and browser tabs show.
Check Author before sharing
Export software often fills in the computer's user name. Replace it with your company name or clear it.
Keep XMP in step
Leave XMP on Update it to match, so every reader shows the same values.
Use custom fields for tracking
Put a project number in its own field instead of Subject, so the standard fields stay clean.
Set the language
A language tag helps screen readers read the document in the right voice.
Keep the original
The download is a new file. Keep the original in case you need its old values later.
Common questions about PDF metadata
If something's not covered here, the troubleshooting section above likely has it.
Why does Acrobat still show the old title after I change it?
Many PDFs keep their properties in two places: the document information and an XMP metadata block, and Acrobat prefers the XMP one. When the file has XMP, keep Update it to match selected and both are written with the same values. Close and reopen the file if the viewer had it open.
How do I remove all metadata from a PDF?
Click Remove all metadata. It clears every field, the dates and the custom fields, and removes the XMP block, then you save. The pages, links and bookmarks stay as they are.
Does editing metadata change the pages of my PDF?
No. Only the document properties are rewritten. Text, pictures, links, bookmarks and form fields stay exactly as they were, and the result card reads the saved file back so you can check every value.
Why are commas kept in my keywords?
Keywords are saved exactly as you type them, so a list like invoice, March, client A stays a comma-separated list that search tools and readers show as written.
What are custom fields for?
They hold extra information the standard fields don't cover, such as a project number, client name or document status. Names can't repeat or reuse a standard name like Title, and values can be in any language.
What does Show the title in the viewer's title bar do?
It tells PDF readers to show the document Title instead of the file name at the top of the window and in browser tabs. It needs a Title to be set.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The PDF is read and saved in your browser with pdf.js and pdf-lib; it is not uploaded to our server. Password-protected PDFs need to be unlocked first.
Build notes
The write-up on editing PDF metadata in the browser
I wrote a step-by-step tutorial on building a browser-based PDF metadata editor with JavaScript and pdf-lib: reading, editing and saving document properties on your own device.
How to Build a Browser-Based PDF Metadata Editor Using JavaScript
Covers reading and editing title, author, subject, keywords and creator information with pdf-lib, without a server.