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Metadata

Metadata removal vs PDF sanitisation: what each removes

By DeckleUpdated

Metadata removal deletes the information stored about a PDF: document properties, the XMP record, the document identifier and attachments. Sanitising a PDF goes further and also removes hidden content such as comments, form data, hidden layers, scripts and text hidden under other objects. Remove PDF metadata in Deckle does the first job. For the rest, check the document yourself or use a sanitising tool such as Acrobat's.

Remove PDF metadata

Three different privacy tasks

Password

Controls access

Metadata

Document properties

Redaction

Selected page content

Choose the change; inspect the saved copy

Conceptual comparison · access, properties and content require separate checks. No single task certifies complete privacy.

Metadata removal vs sanitisation

Item Remove PDF metadata in Deckle Typical sanitising tool
Title, author, subject, keywords Removed when ticked Removed
Creator, producer, dates Removed when ticked Removed
XMP packet Removed when ticked Removed
Document identifier Removed when ticked Varies by tool
Embedded attachments Removed when ticked Removed
Comments and markup Not scanned Removed
Form field values Not scanned Removed or flattened
Hidden layers Not scanned Removed
JavaScript and actions Not scanned Removed
Hidden or overlapping text Not scanned Removed
Links and bookmarks Kept Often removed
Visible page text Kept Kept

Neither removes visible text from the page. That is redaction, covered in metadata removal vs redaction.

When metadata removal is enough

Choose metadata removal when the document's pages are exactly what you mean to share and you only want the file to stop saying who made it, with which app and when. Typical cases:

  • a CV or cover letter that carries a previous employer's template author,
  • a report exported from Word with your login as author,
  • a PDF with a spreadsheet attached that the recipient should not have,
  • a public download whose properties name internal apps.

Remove PDF metadata keeps pages, text, links and appearance exactly as they were, which a full sanitise does not always do.

How to remove metadata with Deckle

  1. Open Remove PDF metadata and choose your PDF, or drop it onto the page.
  2. Tick the items to remove, or Select all.
  3. Choose Remove metadata.
  4. Download the "(clean)" copy and check its properties.

After saving, Deckle reopens the copy, checks that every item you ticked is gone and compares each page with the original.

When you need to sanitise

Sanitise, or check the hidden content by hand, when the PDF has been through review or contains working material:

  • reviewers left comments, highlights or sticky notes,
  • a form was filled in and only the blank version should go out,
  • a design file exported with hidden or switched-off layers,
  • text was covered with white boxes or images rather than removed,
  • the file came from a system that adds scripts or automatic actions.

In Adobe Acrobat Pro, choose All tools > Redact a PDF, then Sanitize document. Remove all clears metadata, comments, hidden layers and other hidden content in one step; Selectively remove lets you tick items in the Hidden Information panel. Without Acrobat Pro, open the comments panel, the layers panel and the attachments panel in your reader and remove what you find in the source document, then export again.

A practical order

  1. Finish the content and remove drafts, notes and unwanted pages, for example with Organize PDF pages.
  2. Delete comments and clear or flatten form fields in your editor.
  3. Remove metadata with Deckle as the final step.
  4. Open the final file, search for names and project codes, and read every page.

Tips

  • Search the text layer. PDF to text saves all selectable text into one file, which makes hidden or white text easy to spot.
  • Check the layers panel. A drawing or brochure can carry switched-off layers with old versions.
  • Do not cover text to hide it. A white box over text leaves the text selectable underneath.
  • Clean after every re-export. Exporting again writes fresh metadata.

Frequently asked questions

Is removing metadata the same as sanitising a PDF?

No. Metadata removal deletes properties, XMP, the document ID and attachments. Sanitising also removes comments, form data, hidden layers, scripts and hidden text.

Does Deckle have a sanitise tool?

No. Remove PDF metadata covers the four kinds of metadata it lists. Comments, form values and layers need checking in your editor.

Does sanitising change how the PDF looks?

It can. Removing links, bookmarks or layers changes the document's behaviour. Metadata removal in Deckle leaves the pages unchanged.

Is the PDF uploaded to remove metadata?

No. Deckle reads and rewrites the file in your browser and does not upload it.

Related tools

Sources