Why this matters
Your PDF's electronic footprint can identify you, your employer, your software tooling, and your work schedule — long after you've shared the file.
The footprint persists through 'Save As', email forwarding, and cloud storage sync — it doesn't fade with time.
Most online 'PDF cleaners' only strip a few fields; the XMP XML block and custom metadata often survive.
For anonymous sharing, whistleblowing, or sensitive business documents, the electronic footprint must be fully deleted.
What the scanner detects
- Author, Creator, Producer fields (your identity and tooling)
- Creation and modification timestamps (your work schedule and timezone)
- XMP XML metadata block (often contains duplicate or extended info)
- Original file path (sometimes includes your OS username)
- Custom metadata fields added by enterprise PDF generators
Ready to scan your PDF?
Drop your file into the scanner. Results in 5 seconds. Nothing leaves your browser.
Open the scannerHow it works
Click "Scan your PDF now" above. The scanner opens in your browser tab — no download, no install.
Drop in your PDF. The file is parsed entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No upload, no server, no logs.
Review your 0–100 risk score, the list of findings, and the AI-generated redaction recommendations. Then take action.
Frequently asked questions
How do I delete the electronic footprint from a PDF?
Drop your PDF into the scanner above. It reads the info dictionary and XMP block locally, removes every identifying field, and downloads the cleaned PDF. Your original is unchanged; the cleaned version has no electronic footprint.
What is a PDF's 'electronic footprint'?
All the metadata that identifies how, when, and by whom the PDF was created: Author, Creator, Producer, Title, Subject, Keywords, CreationDate, ModDate, XMP XML metadata, and any custom fields the editing software added.
Does 'Save As' remove the electronic footprint?
No. 'Save As' preserves all original metadata by default. Some PDF editors let you selectively clear fields via File → Properties, but this is manual and often misses the XMP block. A metadata stripper is the reliable way.
Can the electronic footprint be recovered after stripping?
If you use a proper stripper that removes both the info dictionary fields AND the XMP XML block, no — the data is gone from the file's bytes. If you only blank the visible fields (which some tools do), the original data may still be recoverable with a hex editor. PrivacyScanPDF removes both.
Related privacy scans
Scrub Tracking Details Out of a PDF File (Free)
PDFs can carry various tracking details: embedded JavaScript that fires on file open, web beacons that ping a server when the PDF is viewed, identifying metadata in the info dictionary, and XMP identifiers that some document-tracking services use. This tool scans for all of them locally and shows you what's tracking you.
Remove Hidden Identifying Background Data From a PDF
PDFs have multiple layers of 'background' data that don't show on screen but can identify you: the XMP XML metadata block, embedded JavaScript, file attachments, annotations, and custom enterprise metadata. This tool scans all of them locally and shows you what's hiding in your PDF.
How to Unattach the Original Owner Name From a PDF
When you create a PDF, your editing software auto-attaches your name as the 'Author' in the file's metadata. This attachment persists through saves, copies, and forwards — the original owner stays attached. To unattach it, you need to strip the Author field (and ideally the full info dictionary) from the PDF's bytes. This tool does that locally.
Sanitize a PDF Before Uploading to a Public Server
Before uploading a PDF to a public server (court filing system, grant portal, government website, public records repository), you should sanitize it: remove all metadata, embedded JavaScript, file attachments, and any PII in the visible text. This tool scans your PDF locally and shows you exactly what needs to be sanitized before upload.
Your PDF never leaves your device
Every operation runs as JavaScript in your browser tab. No upload endpoint exists. Verify it yourself in DevTools (F12 → Network).