How to Edit PDF Metadata (2026)

PDF metadata is information stored inside the file that describes the document: title, author, subject, and keywords. Most people never look at it, but it matters in specific situations: search indexing, document management systems, compliance requirements, and professional document delivery where the properties should reflect the actual document rather than the default values set by the software that created it. 

What PDF Metadata Contains

Title is the document's formal name as stored in the file. This is separate from the filename. When a PDF is indexed by a search engine or document management system, the title field is often given more weight than the filename.

Author is the name of the person or organization that created the document. Many tools default this to the username of whoever exported the file, which sometimes produces awkward defaults like a developer's name on a corporate document.

Subject is a brief description of the document's content. Less commonly used but searchable in systems that index PDF metadata.

Keywords are search terms associated with the document. Document management systems and some PDF search tools use these for filtering and retrieval.

When Metadata Matters

Document management systems often display the title field rather than the filename in search results. A PDF with a title of 'Microsoft Word - Document1' looks unprofessional in a client portal or shared library.

SEO and web publishing. PDFs indexed by search engines surface the title metadata in search results, similar to how a webpage's title tag works. A properly titled PDF ranks and displays better than one with a default or empty title. 

Legal and compliance filing. Some regulatory submission portals validate or display metadata fields. Documents submitted with incorrect author or title fields may need correction. 

Privacy. Author metadata sometimes contains the full name or username of whoever created the document. If you are sharing a document externally and the author field contains personal information you did not intend to share, clearing or correcting it matters.

How to Edit PDF Metadata Using PDFHaul

Go to pdfhaul.com/edit-pdf-metadata, upload your PDF, and update the fields: Title, Author, Subject, and Keywords. Enter the correct values for each field and download the updated file. The visible content of the PDF is unchanged. Only the document properties are modified.

Files up to 50MB are supported. No account is required. Files are automatically deleted after two hours. 

Checking the Output

After downloading the updated PDF, open it in Adobe Reader or your browser and check the document properties to confirm the changes were applied. In Adobe Reader: File, Properties. In Chrome: click the information icon in the PDF viewer toolbar or check the document properties via the menu.

Metadata and Privacy

Beyond the four standard fields that PDFHaul edits, PDFs can contain additional hidden metadata: creation date, modification date, editing software, revision history, and in some cases embedded thumbnails or comments. PDFHaul's metadata editor updates the visible document information fields.

For a complete metadata strip including hidden fields, Adobe Acrobat's Sanitize Document feature or ExifTool (a free command-line utility) remove all metadata and hidden data comprehensively. This is the appropriate approach for highly sensitive documents where any embedded information could be a privacy or security concern.

How Free PDF Metadata Tools Compare

PDFHaul

Free, no account, edits Title, Author, Subject, and Keywords, 50MB limit, files deleted after two hours. No daily limit.

Adobe Acrobat

File, Properties in Acrobat provides the same four fields plus additional metadata options. The free Reader can view metadata but not edit it. Acrobat paid version required for editing. Also provides Sanitize Document for complete metadata removal.

ExifTool

Free, open-source, command-line utility that reads and writes metadata in virtually any file format including PDFs. No file size limits, completely offline. Requires command-line comfort. The most comprehensive free metadata tool available.

PDF-XChange Editor

Free Windows desktop application that includes metadata editing. No file size limits for local files. Good option for Windows users who prefer a desktop interface. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Will editing metadata change the visible content of my PDF?

No. Metadata editing only changes the document properties stored inside the file. The pages, text, images, and formatting are untouched.

Can I completely remove the author field rather than just changing it?

Yes. Leave the Author field blank when saving and the field will be cleared in the output file.

Does editing metadata affect the file size?

Not meaningfully. Metadata is a very small part of a PDF file. Clearing or adding metadata fields has no practical effect on file size.

Can I see the current metadata before editing?

Yes. PDFHaul displays the current values in each field when you upload the document so you can see what is there before making changes. 

Related Tools

Edit PDF Metadata

Redact PDF

Compress PDF

Merge PDF