What is PDF metadata?
PDF metadata is information stored about a document rather than on its pages: typically the title, author, subject, keywords, the software that created it and the dates it was created and last changed. PDF readers show it as the document's properties, and it can reveal more than you intend when you share a file.
Also called: Document properties, XMP metadata
Updated October 14, 2026 · By the PDFZyro team
Where PDF metadata is stored
A PDF keeps metadata in two places. The document information dictionary is the older list of properties such as Title, Author, Creator and Producer. The XMP metadata stream is a block of XML that can hold the same details and much more, such as editing history or custom fields added by the software that made the file. Pictures inside the PDF can carry their own metadata too.
Why metadata matters
Metadata is useful: a good title shows in browser tabs and search results, and archives rely on it. But it can also leak information. The author field may show who drafted a document, the title may be an old working title, and the software and dates can reveal when and how a file was prepared. In legal and business settings, that can expose a client, a draft history or an internal process.
Other hidden data often travels with metadata: attachments, scripts, hidden layers, comments and leftovers of earlier saves kept inside the file.
How to check a PDF's metadata
Open the document's properties in your PDF reader, often under File, then Properties, to see the basic fields. XMP metadata and other hidden content are harder to see, which is why a dedicated clean-up tool is the safer choice before you send a document outside your organization.
Metadata and redaction
Removing metadata is a standard step after redacting, because a document's properties often repeat what's on its pages: a title with a client's name, or keywords that describe the matter. It's also worth checking before you publish a PDF on a website, where anyone can download it and read its properties.
How to remove PDF metadata in PDFZyro
- Open the PDF with Remove hidden data.
- Metadata, attachments, scripts, hidden layers and earlier saves are removed; choose whether to remove comments, form fields, bookmarks and links too.
- The clean copy is saved as a new version, and PDFZyro shows a report of everything it removed.
Tools and guides
- Guide: How to remove metadata from a PDFHow to remove metadata from a PDF: what PDF metadata is, how to see it, how to remove it and other hidden data step by step, and what to check before sharing.
- Remove PDF metadataStrip metadata, attachments, scripts and hidden data.
- Redact PDFRemove text and pictures for good, not just cover them.
Related terms
- RedactionPermanently removing sensitive text or images from a document before it is shared.
- PDF/AThe ISO standard version of PDF for long-term archiving, with everything embedded.
- PDF encryption (password protection)Scrambling a PDF so only people with the password can open it, or limiting printing and copying.