PDF Metadata Viewer
Inspect every metadata field in any PDF — Author, Title, XMP, bookmarks, embedded files, AcroForm data. Acrobat hides most of this; we show all of it. Runs in your browser. No upload.
Free · No signup · No upload · Works offline after first load
What you'll see
Most "PDF properties" dialogs show you four or five fields and call it done. We show you everything that's actually in the file:
- Document Info dictionary — Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Creator, Producer, CreationDate, ModDate.
- XMP metadata stream — the modern XML-based metadata Adobe writes (often contains identifying info beyond the legacy
/Infodict). - Document outline (bookmarks) — bookmark titles often quote section headings the author thought were private. (This is how the EU Commission accidentally leaked the redacted clauses of its AstraZeneca contract in 2021.)
- Embedded files — PDFs can carry attached files (the original Word doc, source data). Many PDF generators include these by default.
- Optional Content Groups — layers that can be hidden but are still present in the file.
- AcroForm and XFA data — form field values, including values typed into "blank" templates.
- Encryption status — whether the file is password-protected, and at what level.
Runs on your computer
Everything happens on your device. Disconnect Wi-Fi after the page loads — it keeps working.
No upload, ever
Your PDF never touches a server. Confidential by design — there's nothing for us to leak.
Free and unlimited
No signup, no per-document fee, no trial expiry. We don't even ask for an email.
How to view PDF metadata
- Open the viewer — click the button above. The page loads in any modern browser.
- Drop a PDF — or click Choose File. Nothing uploads.
- Read the table — every field present in the document is listed. Empty cells mean that field isn't set.
FAQ
What's the difference between the /Info dictionary and XMP?
Both store metadata in a PDF, but XMP is the modern XML-based standard Adobe defined in 2001. Most PDFs written after about 2005 have both — the /Info dict for backward compatibility, XMP for everything else. Stripping one without the other is a common redaction mistake.
Does the viewer modify my PDF?
No. View mode is read-only. If you want to change metadata, switch to Edit mode; to remove it, switch to Remove mode.
Why doesn't Acrobat show me all of this?
Acrobat's "Document Properties" dialog surfaces a curated subset — the fields users typically want to edit. Hidden layers, embedded files, XFA streams, and structure trees live behind deeper menus or aren't exposed at all. The viewer here dumps everything in one screen.
Can it open password-protected PDFs?
It can read public metadata from encrypted PDFs (encryption status, format), but not the document body without the password. You'll see whether a password is required.
What about Word documents?
Yes — the same tool reads .docx files (core properties, custom properties, comments, tracked changes, hidden text). See Remove Metadata from Word.
Related tools
- PDF Metadata Remover — strip the fields you don't want shipped.
- Edit PDF Metadata — change Author, Title, Producer, etc.
- Unredact PDF — recover text hidden under bad black-bar redactions.
- Remove Metadata from Word — DOCX equivalent.