PDF Metadata Viewer
View hidden PDF metadata instantly - extract author, creation date, software info, and security settings. 100% offline, secure, client-side tool. No uploads required.
Extract hidden metadata from PDF files instantly - 100% secure and private
Click or drag PDF file here
All PDF versions supported - Max 10MB
How to Use PDF Metadata Viewer
- Upload Your PDF: Click the upload area or drag and drop any PDF file. Your file is processed entirely in your browser using PDF.js - no data is uploaded to any server, ensuring complete privacy and security.
- View Extracted Metadata: All embedded metadata is instantly displayed in organized sections: Document Properties (title, author, subject, keywords), Application Info (creator/producer software), Date Information (creation and modification timestamps), and Technical Details (PDF version, page count, encryption status).
- Copy Individual Fields: Click the copy icon next to any metadata field to copy that specific value to your clipboard for easy pasting into other documents or applications.
- Export as JSON: Use "Copy All as JSON" to copy the complete metadata object to your clipboard in JSON format, perfect for programmatic processing or archival. Alternatively, click "Download JSON" to save metadata as a .json file.
- Privacy Check: Review the extracted metadata before sharing PDFs publicly. Metadata often contains sensitive information like author names, company details, file paths, and software versions that you may want to remove for privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my PDF file uploaded to a server?
No, absolutely not! This tool runs 100% client-side in your browser using Mozilla’s PDF.js library. Your PDF file is processed entirely on your device and never leaves your computer. This ensures complete privacy and security, especially important when working with confidential or sensitive documents.
What metadata can I extract from a PDF?
The tool extracts all standard PDF metadata fields including: Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Creator (original authoring software), Producer (PDF generation software), Creation Date, Modification Date, PDF version, total page count, file size, and encryption status. Some PDFs may contain additional custom metadata fields which will also be displayed.
Can I view metadata from encrypted or password-protected PDFs?
Encrypted PDFs may have limited metadata available. This tool can extract basic information like page count and encryption status, but detailed metadata (author, title, dates) may be restricted depending on the encryption settings. If a PDF requires a password to open, metadata extraction may be limited.
What PDF versions are supported?
All PDF versions from PDF 1.0 (1993) to PDF 2.0 (2017) are supported, including specialized formats like PDF/A (archival), PDF/X (print production), and PDF/E (engineering). The tool uses PDF.js which has excellent compatibility with both modern and legacy PDF files.
Why is PDF metadata important for privacy?
PDF metadata often contains sensitive information that may reveal more than intended: author’s full name, company name, internal file paths, editing software versions, and creation timestamps. Before sharing PDFs publicly (resumes, reports, leaked documents), it’s critical to review and potentially strip this metadata to protect privacy and avoid exposing organizational details.
Can I remove metadata with this tool?
This is a viewer-only tool designed to inspect PDF metadata. To remove or edit metadata, you’ll need a PDF metadata editor or remover tool. However, this viewer helps you identify exactly what metadata exists before you decide to remove it.
What does Creator vs Producer mean?
Creator is the original application used to author the document (e.g., “Microsoft Word”, “Adobe InDesign”). Producer is the software that converted or generated the final PDF (e.g., “Adobe PDF Library”, “iText”). A document might show “Word” as Creator and “Acrobat Distiller” as Producer if it was created in Word then converted to PDF.