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PDF Metadata Editor

View and edit title, author, subject, keywords, and dates — then download the updated PDF. 100% in-browser.

100% LOCALEdit 8 fieldsDates auto-stampedInstant download100% local

Saved Metadata· Auto-save on

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The CalculatorPage 1

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Drop a PDF here, or click to browse

PDF only (not encrypted)

Drop a PDF and read its metadata dictionary

Data Source & Legal Disclaimer

Effective: 2026Last updated: 2026-09-07Update: Manual review

Sources: pdf-lib — document metadata

Reading and writing PDF metadata happens entirely in your browser with pdf-lib. Your file is never uploaded to any server.

See all data sources & update policy →

How it worksPage 2

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Where PDF metadata lives — illustrated

Metadata sits in the PDF's document information dictionary: Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Creator, Producer, and two dates. Search engines and reference managers read Title and Author first, so a document titled Microsoft Word - draft2 is a missed citation waiting to happen. Editing rewrites the dictionary and stamps a fresh ModDate — everything else (pages, fonts, content) is untouched. Note the honest boundary: this tool edits the standard info dictionary, not XMP metadata streams, and it cannot open password-encrypted files.

Load → edit info dictionary → save (content untouched)

Only the metadata dictionary changes; page content, fonts, and images are copied byte-identical.

Citation-ready paper — Dr. Osei's manuscript

Dr. Osei's journal submission must carry proper metadata: reviewers' reference managers index Title and Author verbatim.

Read the file:The current metadata shows Title "Microsoft Word - manuscript_v7_FINAL" and no Author — exactly what reference managers would import
Rewrite the fields:She sets Title to the paper's real title, adds three authors, and types four comma-separated keywords for indexing
Save & verify:The download stamps a fresh ModDate; re-loading the saved file shows every field exactly as entered
Submit:The journal's ingestion pipeline now imports a clean citation instead of "Microsoft Word - FINAL"

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FAQ & detailsPage 3

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Edit PDF metadata online free: title, author, subject, keywords, dates. Everything runs locally; nothing is uploaded.

FreeToolHub PDF Metadata Editor is a free browser-based tool — edit PDF metadata online free: title, author, subject, keywords, dates. No signup, no upload; everything runs locally in your browser.

About this tool

What is this tool?

Edit PDF metadata online free: title, author, subject, keywords, dates. pdf-lib in-browser, no upload.

Edit 8 fieldsDates auto-stampedInstant download100% local

Why PDF Metadata Is Worth Fixing

Search engines, document management systems, and e-readers all index the Title and Author fields. A PDF titled Microsoft Word untitled3 is invisible to every one of them. Fixing the info dictionary takes seconds and makes the file findable, sortable, and professional in every title bar that shows it.

What Gets Written, What Does Not

The editor rewrites the eight standard info-dictionary fields and stamps ModDate on save automatically. Encrypted PDFs are detected and refused rather than corrupted, and XMP-packet metadata is left untouched - both limits are stated in the tool itself, because a metadata editor that silently pretends otherwise is worse than one that admits its scope.

Why Metadata Matters More Than File Names

Three fields do real work long after a PDF leaves your hands. Title is what browser tabs, reader apps, and search results display — a file named invoice-final-v3.pdf with the metadata title 'Q3 Statement' will show the correct name everywhere that matters, because most systems rank the embedded title above the file name. Author establishes provenance: reports and contracts carry weight from a named author the way a letterhead does. Subject and keywords feed document-management systems and desktop search, which is why archiving teams batch-edit metadata before filing. Two fields deserve caution: dates should reflect the document's real creation or signing date (editors can see metadata changes, so backdating is detectable), and overwriting metadata does not remove hidden revision history in some workflows — for genuinely sensitive documents, export a fresh PDF rather than only editing fields.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which fields can I edit?

Eight: Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Creator, Producer, CreationDate, and ModDate. The modification date stamps automatically when you save, unless you set it explicitly. Everything is written to the standard PDF info dictionary.

Why are encrypted PDFs rejected?

Encrypted files need their permissions decrypted before pdf-lib can rewrite the info dictionary, and this tool does not ask for - or store - passwords. The tool detects encryption and reports it honestly rather than producing a corrupted file.

Does this change XMP metadata too?

No. PDFs carry metadata in two places: the classic info dictionary, which this tool rewrites, and the newer XMP packet, which is left untouched. If a viewer prioritizes XMP, it may show the old values - the tool says this up front instead of claiming a completeness it does not have.

Can metadata reveal who edited a PDF?

Modification dates and the producer field record what last touched the file. This editor updates those fields when you save, so your edit is visible if someone inspects. For legally sensitive files, remember the original metadata may persist in backups or earlier versions.