How to Scrub Metadata from PDFs Online Free

Before sharing a PDF, you may want to remove hidden document properties like the author name, creation date, software used to create it, and other metadata. Papr makes it easy to scrub this information during export — all processing happens in your browser.

Why Scrub Metadata?

PDF files carry more information than what's visible on the page. Metadata fields like Author, Creator, Producer, and timestamps can reveal who created a document, when, and with what software. Removing this information before sharing protects your privacy and ensures compliance.

• Privacy Protection: Remove author name, email, and other identifying information embedded in the document
• Compliance: Meet regulatory requirements for document sanitization before public release
• Hide Internal Tools: Remove Creator and Producer fields that reveal which software was used internally
• Completely Free: No subscriptions, no watermarks, no hidden fees

Step-by-Step: Scrubbing Metadata in Papr

Step 1: Open Your PDF

Launch the Papr editor and load your PDF by clicking the "Open file" button in the top toolbar or dragging the file onto the page.

Step 2: Open the Export Dialog

Click the Export button in the toolbar to open the export dialog. This is where you'll find the metadata scrubbing option alongside other export settings.

Step 3: Enable "Scrub Metadata"

In the export dialog, check the "Scrub metadata" checkbox. You'll see a live preview of the metadata fields that exist in your document and will be removed, including:

• Author — who created the document
• Title — the document title
• Subject — the document subject line
• Creator — the application that created the original content
• Producer — the software that generated the PDF
• Keywords — searchable tags embedded in the file
• Creation Date — when the document was first created
• Modification Date — when it was last modified

Step 4: Configure Other Export Options

While in the export dialog, you can also configure other settings like compression, password protection, and page range. These work alongside metadata scrubbing.

Step 5: Export Your Clean PDF

Click Export to download your clean PDF. The exported file will have all metadata fields stripped from both the /Info dictionary and XMP metadata stream. Your original in-memory document is not affected — only the exported copy is scrubbed.

Tips for Metadata Scrubbing

• Preview first: Check what metadata exists in your document before scrubbing — the export dialog shows a live preview of all fields.
• Combine with password protection: For extra security, add a password to the exported PDF alongside metadata scrubbing.
• Combine with redaction: If your document contains sensitive visible content as well, use the redaction tool before exporting with scrubbed metadata for maximum privacy.
• Original is safe: Scrubbing only affects the exported copy — your working document retains its metadata.

Common Use Cases

• Sharing legal documents without revealing the author or creation software
• Preparing documents for FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests
• Removing internal software tool names from client-facing deliverables
• Protecting author identity when sharing documents publicly
• Sanitizing documents before posting online or submitting to third parties

Related Guides

• How to Redact Sensitive Information
• How to Password Protect PDFs
• How to Compress PDFs