Files are processed in your browser, not uploaded. Privacy →
Deckle
Open a PDF
Skip to guide

Metadata

How to view the metadata of a PDF

By DeckleUpdated

To view the metadata of a PDF, open Remove PDF metadata and choose your file. Deckle lists every document property, XMP record, document identifier and embedded attachment it finds, each with its current value, and changes nothing until you tick an item and choose Remove metadata. You can also see the basic properties in any PDF reader under document properties.

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.

How to view PDF metadata with Deckle

  1. Open Remove PDF metadata and choose your PDF, or drop it onto the page.
  2. Read the list. Each item shows its name, its value and a Keep badge.
  3. Look through the four groups: Document properties, XMP metadata, Document identifier and Embedded attachments. A group appears only if the file has something in it.
  4. Check the summary above the list, such as "6 items found · select items to remove".
  5. Close the page, or tick items and choose Remove metadata if you want a cleaned copy.

Reading the file never changes it. If the scan finds nothing in the four groups, the panel says "No supported metadata found".

What you will see

Group Example value What it tells someone
Title Q3 budget DRAFT - do not circulate The working name, which readers may show in the tab
Author jsmith The login or name of whoever made the source file
Subject, Keywords Template: client pitch 2024 Leftovers from a template
Creator Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 The app the document was written in
Producer macOS Version 15.1 Quartz PDFContext The software that wrote the PDF
Created, Modified 2 March 2026, 28 October 2026 When it was drafted and last changed
XMP packet Present A second, longer record that can repeat the above and add edit history
Document identifier A long code such as 9F2C41A7… An ID that can link this copy to others made from the same file
1 embedded file costings.xlsx A file stored inside the PDF

How to view metadata in other apps

Most readers show the eight basic fields. Fewer show XMP, the document ID or attachments in one place.

  • Adobe Acrobat. Choose Menu > Document properties on Windows or File > Document properties on a Mac. The Description tab shows title, author, subject, keywords, dates and the creating apps. Additional Metadata, then Advanced, shows the XMP record. Custom properties have their own Custom tab.
  • Preview on a Mac. Click the Info button in the toolbar to open the Inspector. The General info inspector shows general information about the PDF, and the Keywords inspector shows its keywords.
  • Attachments. Acrobat Reader lists them in its attachments panel. Not every reader shows attachments, which is one reason they go unnoticed.

What metadata does not include

Metadata describes the file. It is not what is on the pages. Names in the text, tracked-change markings that were printed into the page, comments, form field values and hidden layers are separate. The Deckle list says so when it is empty: "This tool scans metadata, not page text." For a full pre-sharing check, see how to review hidden PDF information.

Tips

  • Check before every external send. The author and title fields are the ones most often embarrassing: a colleague's name, or "v12 FINAL do not send".
  • Look at the Creator and Producer together. They show the source app, which can reveal that a "scan" was typed or that a document came from a particular template.
  • Compare dates with the story. A creation date years before the date on the letter is a common question from recipients.
  • Remove what you do not want in the same visit. Tick the items and choose Remove metadata; how to remove metadata from a PDF has the full steps.

Frequently asked questions

Can I view PDF metadata without changing the file?

Yes. Choosing a file in Remove PDF metadata only reads it. Nothing is written until you tick items and choose the button, and even then the original stays as it was.

Is the PDF uploaded to read its metadata?

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

Why does a field show "Present" instead of a value?

The XMP packet is a structured XML record rather than a single line of text. Deckle shows that it exists so you can choose whether to remove it; a reader such as Acrobat can show its contents.

Can I edit a metadata field, such as the title?

No. Deckle removes fields; it does not rewrite them. Set the title in the app that made the document, then export the PDF again.

Can a password-protected PDF be viewed?

Not in Deckle until it is unlocked. Remove PDF metadata scans unlocked files only, so unlock it first with Unlock PDF and scan the unlocked copy.

Related tools

Sources