How to edit PDF metadata
Editing PDF metadata means changing the title, author, subject and keywords that show in the PDF properties window. On BestPDFInTheWorld it takes three steps: drag the file into the window, fill in only the fields you want to change, and save and download. A field left empty keeps whatever was there, and the clear everything option wipes all six fields at once. Everything runs in your browser, the file never leaves your computer, and the pages stay exactly as they were. This tool is part of the Premium subscription, EUR 1.99 a month, which removes the limits on every tool and adds OCR. Sign PDF opens on the free plan, with one signature a day.
Verified 2026-08-12
- Three steps, nothing to install: choose the file, fill in only what you want changed, save and download.
- A field left empty keeps what was there; the clear everything option wipes all six fields at once.
- The pages stay exactly as they were, only the information fields change.
- No uploads: all processing runs in the browser, and the tool keeps working offline once the page has loaded.
- This tool is part of the Premium subscription, EUR 1.99 a month, which removes the limits on every tool and adds OCR. Sign PDF opens on the free plan, with one signature a day.
How to edit PDF metadata step by step
Editing metadata means changing the title, author, subject and keywords that show in the PDF properties window. On BestPDFInTheWorld it takes three steps:
- Open the Edit metadata tool.
- Drag the PDF into the tool window, or click to pick it.
- Fill in only the fields you want to change. A field left empty keeps whatever was there, to wipe everything, switch on the clear option.
- Save and download. You get the same document with the new metadata, with nothing changed on the pages.
Nothing to install, no account and no upload: the processing runs in your browser, start to finish.
What PDF metadata is and why it matters
Metadata is the document's identity card: title, author, subject, keywords, creator and producer. Most readers show it in the properties window, and that is the first place people look when they open a file and wonder who made it. That is why changing the title to something descriptive, or fixing the author before sending a PDF, makes a real difference.
The tool works on the information dictionary, which is exactly what the properties window shows. Six fields in total: you can change just one and leave the others alone, or switch on clear everything and wipe all six at once.
Tips for editing PDF metadata
- An empty field means keep. It was chosen that way on purpose: if empty erased, changing the title alone would silently lose the author. To erase, use the explicit clear everything option.
- This is not full anonymisation. The tool handles the information dictionary, but it does not clear XMP (an XML block some programs write in parallel), creation and modification dates, or names written inside the page content. If the document must leave with no trace, the safe path is to export the pages as images and rebuild the PDF from them, accepting that selectable text is lost, or redact the sensitive content with the Redact PDF tool.
- Keywords are separated by commas. You can set as many as you want, one comma between each.
- The title is not the file name. Changing the title alters a field inside the document; the file name belongs to your computer. Some programs show the title in the window bar, which is confusing, but they are different things.
- The producer stays as it was. Many tools rewrite the producer field with their own name when saving; this one preserves the original and only touches it when you switch on clear everything.
- It works offline. Once the page has loaded once, you can edit metadata with the network off, the work is all done by your processor. And check what the document holds first with the PDF properties tool, which is free and changes nothing.
Is editing PDF metadata free? What are the limits?
No. This tool is part of the Premium subscription, EUR 1.99 a month, which removes the limits on every tool and adds OCR. Sign PDF opens on the free plan, with one signature a day. If the document is sensitive, you can also encrypt it with the Password protect tool, so only someone with the password can open it.
| Plan | What it allows |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Only Sign PDF opens without paying, with one signature a day and files up to 10 MB. |
| Premium (EUR 1.99/month) | This tool is part of the subscription: no limits anywhere, plus OCR and larger batches. |
Questions about PDF metadata.
Do I need an account to edit metadata?
Yes. The account (magic link, no password) is needed for the subscription. This tool is part of the Premium subscription, EUR 1.99 a month, which removes the limits on every tool and adds OCR. Sign PDF opens on the free plan, with one signature a day. You only need to subscribe and sign in to remove the limits, or to use OCR.
Does an empty field erase what was there?
No. An empty field means keep: if empty erased, changing the title alone would silently lose the author. To wipe everything, use the explicit clear option.
Does this fully anonymise my document?
No, and it is worth knowing before you hand the file over. The tool handles the information dictionary, title, author, subject, keywords, creator and producer, but it does not clear creation and modification dates, XMP metadata, or names inside the page content. A document that must leave with no trace needs more than this.
How do I see the metadata before changing it?
With the PDF properties tool, which is free and does not alter the document.
Does editing metadata change the pages?
No. The page content stays exactly as it was; only the information fields change.
I changed the title and the file name is still the same. Why?
They are different things. The title is a field inside the document; the file name belongs to your computer. Some programs show the title in the window bar, which is confusing, but changing one does not change the other.
The tool refused the job. What happened?
That happens when there is nothing to do: all fields empty and the clear option off. Saving anyway would be faking work, you would end up with a new document, indistinguishable from the original, not knowing whether anything had happened. Fill in a field or switch on clear and try again.
Keep reading
How to repair a PDF
Step by step to rebuild the internal structure of a damaged PDF, without uploading the file anywhere and without losing the content that is still there.
How to change PDF page size
Step by step to apply A4, A3, A5, Letter or Legal to every page and unify mixed formats, without uploading anything.
How to cut a PDF in half
Step by step to split every page into two, vertically or horizontally, without losing quality and without uploading anything.
PDF with the wrong author?
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Open the tool and fix it. Nothing to install, nothing sent anywhere.
Open Edit metadata