Why this matters
The Author field on corporate PDFs often contains the drafter's full corporate email address — auto-populated from their Office 365 or Active Directory account.
The Creator field can reveal your internal tooling: 'Microsoft Word for Office 365' tells a competitor you're on Office 365; 'Pages' tells them you're on Mac.
Original file paths sometimes leak internal network structure: '\\corporate-fs01\Legal\M&A\Drafts\Q4-2026\' reveals your shared drive naming convention.
Modification timestamps can contradict a contract's stated execution date or reveal late-night last-minute edits.
What the scanner detects
- Author field (often a corporate email address)
- Creator/Producer fields (internal software tooling)
- Creation/modification timestamps
- Original file paths in some PDF generators
- Custom XMP metadata blocks enterprise tools add
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 remove editing history from a corporate PDF?
Drop the PDF into the scanner above. It reads the info dictionary locally, strips Author/Creator/Producer/Title/timestamps, removes the XMP block, and downloads the cleaned PDF. The visible content is unchanged.
What editing history do PDFs actually contain?
Author (often corporate email), Creator (software + version), Producer (PDF library), CreationDate, ModDate, original file path (sometimes), and XMP metadata. Some PDF generators also embed tracked changes, comments, and document identifiers.
Is it safe to upload corporate PDFs to iLovePDF?
No. iLovePDF's free tier uploads the full PDF (including metadata) to their server. Their ToS says they delete it, but multiple PDF services have been caught retaining files. For corporate documents, this is an unauthorized disclosure of internal information. Use a browser-based tool instead.
Will stripping metadata affect the PDF's appearance or behavior?
No. Metadata is descriptive only. Removing it doesn't change page layout, fonts, images, hyperlinks, or interactive elements. The PDF opens and renders identically — it just doesn't carry identifying metadata anymore.
Related privacy scans
Remove Author Name From an Academic PDF (Double-Blind Review)
Double-blind peer review requires that your PDF contain no identifying information — not just in the visible text, but in the file's metadata. The Author field, Creator software, file path, and timestamps can all de-anonymize you. This tool strips every identifying field locally in your browser, so your submission is truly anonymous.
Remove Creator Metadata From a Double-Blind Review PDF
The PDF Creator field is auto-populated by whatever software generated your PDF — LaTeX, Word, Pages, Google Docs. This seemingly innocent field can reveal your institution's LaTeX template, your version of Word (identifying your employer's Office license), or your specific workflow. Strip it before double-blind submission.
Strip Metadata From Legal Contract PDFs
Legal PDFs routinely leak identifying metadata: the drafting attorney's name (Author field), the firm's Word version (Creator field), editing timestamps that can contradict a contract's stated execution date, and tracked-change history in some cases. Strip all of it locally before emailing — no upload to a third-party server means no breach of attorney-client privilege.
Clean Personal Data From a PDF Resume (Anonymous Job Application)
Anonymous job applications require removing more than just visible name and contact info. Your PDF resume's metadata can reveal your real name (Author field), your email (often auto-populated), your editing software, and your timezone. This tool strips all of it — locally in your browser, no upload — so your resume is truly anonymous.
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).