What does Edit PDF Metadata do?
Edit PDF Metadata is a free online tool that can update title and author hidden file tags of a PDF. The PDF result from Edit PDF Metadata is a separate copy to inspect before you use it elsewhere. One possible use is template titles corrected before sharing a report.
Hidden file tags editing changes the PDF title and author fields without rewriting the visible wording on its pages. These properties can appear in a viewer's file information panel or influence how a downloaded file is identified.
This is useful when a template still carries its old title or a report should identify its author clearly. Choose the replacement values with care: the form contains defaults, and those defaults would otherwise become the new hidden file tags.
The author property can name a person or a team. It need not match the sender of the file.
A document title is also separate from its filename. Check both before publishing a revised report. This form changes selected tags, so a privacy review still needs to look at other fields.
Change PDF title and author online: steps
Before using Edit PDF Metadata, decide what the new copy must contain and where it will be used. Read the existing file properties and enter the title and author values you want to publish. Review the upload area and all values required by the current Edit PDF Metadata form.
Choose the source
Read the title in the viewer's properties panel. For Edit PDF Metadata, choose one source from your device. Keep a source copy for another attempt.
Review the form values
Title controls a value used by Edit PDF Metadata. The starting Title value is PDF Document.
Author controls a value used by Edit PDF Metadata. The starting Author value is PDF+Image Tools.
Run the file task
Use Process Edit PDF Metadata after checking the source and form values. Wait for the job to finish. An error means this attempt failed.
Save and check the output
Check the title and author fields in the downloaded PDF, while confirming that page content has not changed. Store the output on your device. Name this copy separately from the original.
Edit properties: uses for Edit PDF Metadata
Edit PDF Metadata can help with author fields updated after collaborative editing. It can also be used for viewer file titles aligned with the current project. The PDF result from Edit PDF Metadata must suit the intended reading or editing step, so keep the source until that check is complete.
- Template titles corrected before sharing a report.
- Author fields updated after collaborative editing.
- Viewer file titles aligned with the current project.
- Hidden file tags made consistent across a publication workflow.
Formats and limits for Edit PDF Metadata
The Edit PDF Metadata form accepts PDF sources. Each Edit PDF Metadata upload can be up to 300 MB, which equals 300 MiB. The allowed suffixes on the Edit PDF Metadata page do not prove that a source has valid content inside it.
| Accepted formats | Maximum file size | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 300 MB per file (300 MiB upload limit) |
Updating chosen hidden file tags is not anonymization. Other properties and historical data can remain, and ExifTool PDF edits can be recoverable.
Practical checks for Edit PDF Metadata
Read the old title in a local viewer. Check the old author value too. Write down the new values you want.
The title can differ from the filename. A reader may see both in their app. Keep them clear enough to tell copies apart.
For a team report, agree on the credit first. Use that wording in the author field. Do not treat a default credit as the right one.
Open the new PDF after download. Read the two fields in its properties panel. Compare them with the values you entered.
Check the first and last visible pages too. The page text should still fit your purpose. If an old name is printed there, a tag edit will not remove it.
If you send the file to another team, ask how it appears in their viewer. Some apps show the saved title above the page. Others show the local filename, so check both names during the handoff.
How this tool works
Edit PDF Metadata uses ExifTool to handle the source on the server. The Edit PDF Metadata request uses your chosen input rather than any local editing project left on your device. Check the PDF contents produced by Edit PDF Metadata before treating them as ready for another app or reader.
For Edit PDF Metadata, your browser uploads the source to our file-processing server. This is a server task, not local editing.
Files are due for deletion within 1 hour. Cleanup runs during normal service operation. Keep a local download for future use.
Edit PDF Metadata questions and answers
If Edit PDF Metadata gives an unexpected result, start by checking the source type and the values used in the form. Check the PDF contents from Edit PDF Metadata as well as the filename or displayed message. For another result type, compare Edit PDF Metadata with the separate tools described in these answers.
What matters when using Edit PDF Metadata?
Use the agreed credit for a report with several authors. View that area at its intended display size. Note any differences that affect your purpose.
Why try Remove PDF Metadata?
Remove PDF Metadata offers another task beside Edit PDF Metadata: remove PDF metadata tags with ExifTool. Remove PDF Metadata returns PDF. The stated PDF output from Edit PDF Metadata matches a listed input type for Remove PDF Metadata.
Why try Sanitize PDF?
Sanitize PDF offers another task beside Edit PDF Metadata: rewrite PDF structure with qpdf and Ghostscript; inspect hidden content afterward. Sanitize PDF returns PDF. The stated PDF output from Edit PDF Metadata matches a listed input type for Sanitize PDF.
Why try Repair PDF?
Repair PDF offers another task beside Edit PDF Metadata: attempt to rebuild a broken PDF structure. Repair PDF returns PDF. The stated PDF output from Edit PDF Metadata matches a listed input type for Repair PDF.
What if my PDF result does not open?
For a failed Edit PDF Metadata result, first confirm that the download completed and that the viewer supports PDF. Try another local viewer for that format.
Record any error message for support. Keep private source material out of the report.
How do I report a problem with Edit PDF Metadata?
Contact support with the Edit PDF Metadata page name, source format and the error you saw. Mention any relevant form settings you chose. Do not send passwords or private attachments.