View PDF Metadata

View all metadata fields from your PDF document including title, author, creator, and custom fields.

Click to select a file or drag and drop

A single PDF file

Your files never leave your device.

What is PDF Metadata?

PDF metadata is hidden information embedded within a PDF document that describes the file's properties. This includes technical details, authorship information, and custom fields added by applications or users.

Common PDF metadata fields include:

  • Title: The document's title (often different from the filename)
  • Author: The person or organization who created the document
  • Subject: A brief description of the document's content
  • Keywords: Search terms associated with the document
  • Creator: The application used to create the original document
  • Producer: The tool used to create the PDF version
  • Creation Date: When the document was originally created
  • Modification Date: When the document was last modified
  • Custom Fields: Application-specific or user-defined metadata

Why View Metadata?

  • ✓ Verify document authenticity
  • ✓ Check creation details
  • ✓ Understand document history
  • ✓ Identify hidden information
  • ✓ Prepare for document sharing

How to View PDF Metadata

1

Upload Your PDF

Drag and drop your PDF file or click to browse. All processing happens locally in your browser — your files never leave your device.

2

View Metadata Instantly

All metadata fields are extracted and displayed in a clean, readable format. Scroll through the complete list of document properties.

3

Copy or Analyze

Copy the complete metadata as JSON for further analysis, or review the information directly in your browser.

When to Check PDF Metadata

Common Use Cases

  • Document Verification: Confirm authorship and creation dates
  • Privacy Check: Identify potentially sensitive hidden information
  • Troubleshooting: Understand why a PDF behaves certain way
  • Compliance: Ensure documents meet organizational standards

Privacy Considerations

  • Metadata can contain names, dates, software versions, and locations
  • Use our Remove Metadata tool before sharing sensitive documents
  • Some applications add tracking information to metadata

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, absolutely. Our tool processes your PDF entirely in your browser:

  • No file upload to any server
  • No network transmission of your document
  • All processing happens locally on your device
  • Your file never leaves your computer
  • No storage of your document on our servers

You can view all standard PDF metadata fields plus custom fields:

  • Standard fields: Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Creator, Producer
  • Date fields: Creation Date, Modification Date
  • Technical fields: PDF Version, Page Count, Encryption Status
  • Custom fields: Any application-specific metadata
  • XMP metadata: Extended metadata in XML format

This tool is for viewing metadata only. To edit PDF metadata:

Some PDFs may show minimal or no metadata for several reasons:

  • The PDF was created without metadata by the generating application
  • Metadata was previously removed for privacy reasons
  • The PDF was optimized or compressed, stripping metadata
  • Some scanners don't add metadata to scanned PDFs
  • The PDF is encrypted or password-protected (use our Decrypt PDF tool first)

Yes, PDF metadata can potentially contain sensitive information:

  • Author names and contact information
  • Creation dates and modification history
  • Software versions used to create/edit the document
  • Geolocation data (if added by mobile apps)
  • Tracked changes and revision comments
  • Custom fields with internal document IDs or codes

Always check metadata before sharing documents publicly. Use our Remove Metadata tool to clean sensitive documents.

Related PDF Tools

Edit Metadata

Change PDF properties

Remove Metadata

Strip hidden information

Sanitize PDF

Comprehensive cleaning