What Information Does a PDF Store? A List of Property Fields
Key points
- Learn what each field means
- Check your own PDF
- Remove fields you do not need
PDF properties are information like a name tag for the document that is not shown on the pages. Here are the main fields.
Main fields
- Title: the name of the document. Shown in places like the browser tab.
- Author: the name of the person who made it.
- Subject: a field for the topic of the document.
- Keywords: words for searching.
- Created with: the software that made the original document (such as Word).
- Converted by: the software or mechanism that converted it to PDF.
- Created: the date and time the PDF was made.
- Modified: the date and time it was last changed.
- Annotations: comments and markup. They may carry an author name and a time.
Points about each
- Author and annotations are the fields that most often hold a personal name.
- Created and modified dates show when it was made. Be careful when it matters for a submission deadline.
- Software names are normally not a problem.
Check and remove
- Choose the PDF in View and Remove PDF Properties.
- The fields above are shown as a list.
- Remove what you do not need with "Remove everything".
Keep in mind
- These are not page content. This tool does not change the text or images on the pages.
- How the "Modified" date appears can vary with the software and time zone settings.
Tools that go well with this
- Black Out (Redact) Parts of a PDF: Drag over the parts of a PDF you want to hide and black them out. Redacted pages become images, so the text underneath is gone.
- Compress PDF: Shrink a PDF to fit under a size you choose, for upload limits.
- Extract or Delete PDF Pages: Keep only the pages you need, or remove the pages you don't.
More guides for this tool
- How to Check and Remove the Author and Title in a PDF (Free, Works on a Phone)
- Why Your Name Ends Up in a PDF Made from Word or PowerPoint
- Before You Submit or Publish a PDF: A Properties Checklist
- Names Left in PDF Comments and Markup: How to Remove Them and What to Watch For
- Setting a PDF Title Helps: How It Appears in the Browser and When Saving
- How to Name a PDF File: Tips for Submitting and Sharing