Is my PDF uploaded when I inspect it?
No. The file is opened and read locally in your browser. It is never uploaded to PrivacyTool.app or any other server, and no document content is transmitted.
PDF Metadata Viewer
View metadata and privacy-related information contained in a PDF, including author details, comments, attachments, form data, scripts, and signature indicators. Everything is inspected locally in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Processed in your browser
No data uploaded
No account required
See what a PDF reveals about you before you share it: author and tool metadata, comments, attachments, form data, scripts, layers, and signature-related data.
Your PDF is inspected locally in your browser. It is not uploaded to PrivacyTool.app.
The checker reports what it can detect in supported PDF structures. It cannot prove that a document contains no hidden or private information.
Select a PDF to inspect, or drag and drop it here
One PDF at a time, up to 15 MB. Nothing is uploaded.
What is a PDF metadata viewer?
A PDF metadata viewer is a tool that reads the descriptive and structural information stored inside a PDF file — the document properties, the embedded XMP packet, and related structures that record who created a document, with which application, and when. This information travels with the file and is easy to overlook when you share it.
This PDF metadata checker lets you read and see PDF metadata directly in your browser. It reports what it finds, explains what each finding means, and is explicit about what it cannot detect. It is an inspection tool only: it never changes your file.
What this tool can inspect
The viewer reports findings in ten categories, each with an explanation, an evidence source, and its limits:
- Document properties — title, author, subject, keywords, creator and producer applications, and dates.
- XMP metadata — the embedded XML packet that can duplicate or extend the document properties.
- Annotations and comments — including reviewer names, dates, and remarks that travel with the file.
- Form fields — interactive form structure and user-entered values, revealed only on request.
- Embedded attachments — files stored inside the PDF at document level or attached to annotations.
- Scripts and actions — JavaScript or automatic actions; described, never executed.
- Layers (optional content) — named content groups whose visibility can be toggled.
- Signature-related data — structures related to digital signatures; cryptographic validity is never checked.
- Encryption — whether the document is encrypted or password-protected.
- Document repair — whether the parser reported repairing the file's structure while opening it.
How to view PDF metadata
You can view PDF metadata in four steps:
- 1.
Select a PDF from your device, or drag and drop it onto the tool. Nothing starts automatically.
- 2.
Start the inspection. The PDF engine loads in your browser and reads the file locally.
- 3.
Read the report: each category shows what was found, with explanations and technical details.
- 4.
Reset when you are done. All document data is released; nothing is stored.
Privacy and local processing
When you view PDF metadata online with this tool, the file never leaves your device. Inspection runs entirely in your browser using a bundled PDF engine; there are no uploads, no server-side processing, and no analytics scripts on this page.
Nothing is stored either: the file is read in memory, the report is shown only to you, and every document reference is released when you reset, cancel, or select another file.
Interpretation and limitations
A PDF can carry hidden information beyond what any single tool can enumerate. This viewer scopes every absence claim: “not found” always means not found in the structures inspected by this version of the tool — never proof of absence.
Known limits are always listed with the report: orphan objects are invisible to the parser, XFA form content is not inspectable, layer visibility cannot be determined, signature validity is never checked, and annotations are scanned on at most the first 200 pages.
How to reduce unwanted exposure
If the report shows information you do not want to share, the most reliable fixes happen at the source:
- Remove or change the information in the application that created the document, then export it again.
- Where possible, regenerate a fresh PDF from the source document instead of editing the file.
- Re-inspect the document here before sharing it.
PrivacyTool never edits your PDF: this is an inspection tool, and reliable metadata removal belongs in the application that produced the document.
Frequently asked questions
Is the PDF Metadata Viewer free?
Yes. The tool is free to use, with no account, no sign-up, and no usage limits beyond the 15 MB file-size cap that protects your browser's memory.
Does the tool remove PDF metadata?
No. This is a viewer, not a PDF metadata remover: it does not remove metadata from PDF files, delete metadata, or clear PDF metadata. Your file is not edited or cleaned. To reduce exposure, change the information in the source application and export a fresh PDF, then re-inspect it here.
Does “nothing found” mean my PDF is anonymous?
No. “Nothing found” means nothing was found in the structures this version of the tool inspects. A PDF can contain information the parser cannot see, so the result is never proof that a document is anonymous or free of identifying information.
Does the tool validate digital signatures?
No. It reports signature-related structures when it detects them, but cryptographic validity is never checked. Nothing in the report says whether a signature is genuine.
Is this a virus or malware scanner?
No. The tool describes scripts and actions it finds, but it never executes them and makes no judgment about whether a file is harmless. Use dedicated security software for malware concerns.
Can it inspect a password-protected PDF?
Only to a limited degree. An encrypted PDF that requires a password is reported as encrypted, but its contents cannot be inspected by this version of the tool. Password-assisted inspection is not offered.
What metadata can a PDF contain?
Typical fields include the title, author, subject, keywords, the creator and producer applications, and creation and modification dates. Beyond those, a PDF can carry an XMP metadata packet, comments and annotations, form data, embedded attachments, scripts, layers, and signature-related structures.
How do I view PDF metadata online?
Open this page, select a PDF or drag it onto the drop zone, and start the inspection. The report appears in your browser within seconds for typical files — and because processing is local, viewing PDF metadata online here does not involve uploading the file anywhere.
Does every PDF contain metadata?
Almost every PDF contains at least some, because authoring applications write document properties by default. How much it reveals varies: some files carry only a producer name, while others include author names, full review remarks, and embedded content.
Check your PDF before you share it
See what a PDF reveals about you — inspected locally in your browser, with nothing uploaded and nothing stored.