PDF metadata is the set of descriptive properties stored inside a PDF file, including the title, author, subject, keywords, creator application, producer, creation date, and modification date, and these fields can be edited directly inside Adobe Acrobat through the Document Properties dialog, or updated just as completely using a private browser tool like the PDF Metadata Editor that reads and rewrites the same Info dictionary without installing Acrobat at all. Editing metadata does not change a single character of the visible document content; it only changes the properties that search engines, file managers, reference managers, and PDF viewers display when you hover over or inspect a file. The fields follow the PDF specification published by ISO for the document information dictionary, so any tool that writes valid values produces a file that opens correctly in Acrobat, Preview, Chrome, Foxit, and Edge.
Where PDF Metadata Lives in Adobe Acrobat
Inside Adobe Acrobat, the metadata is split between two locations. The Description tab of File > Properties holds the user-facing fields: Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, and a freeform Description. A second tab labeled Custom holds any custom XMP properties your workflow uses, and an Advanced tab exposes the raw XMP packet. When you save the file, Acrobat writes your changes into the Info dictionary inside the PDF trailer and, when present, mirrors them into the XMP metadata stream.
Most users only need the Description tab. The fields map one-to-one to the same values a browser-based metadata editor exposes, so the experience is largely identical regardless of which tool you choose. If your organization uses custom XMP namespaces, you will need Acrobat or another desktop tool, because browser editors typically focus on the standard Info dictionary.
Fields You Can Edit
The PDF specification defines a fixed list of standard metadata fields. The table below lists each one, what it controls, and how it typically appears in a viewer.
| Field | What it stores | Where it shows up |
|---|---|---|
| Title | The document's name as search engines see it | Window title bar, Reader thumbnails, OS file properties |
| Author | The person or organization responsible | Reader Details panel, library catalogs |
| Subject | A short summary of the document | Search index results, email subject references |
| Keywords | Comma-separated tags | Reader search, SharePoint and library filters |
| Creator | The application that produced the original content | Acrobat Properties dialog |
| Producer | The application that generated the PDF | Acrobat Properties dialog |
| CreationDate | Timestamp of original creation | Acrobat, archive systems |
| ModDate | Timestamp of the last metadata edit | Acrobat, version control tools |
Acrobat also exposes a Description freeform box and any custom XMP keys defined by your organization. These are optional and may be left blank if they do not apply.
Edit PDF Metadata in Adobe Acrobat Step by Step
Open the file in Adobe Acrobat and follow these steps to change the standard metadata fields directly in the desktop application.
- Launch Adobe Acrobat and open the PDF you want to update. If it opens in your browser instead, choose Open With > Adobe Acrobat from your download or file manager.
- Click File in the top menu and choose Properties from the dropdown. A dialog named Document Properties appears.
- Open the Description tab. You will see editable boxes for Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, and a larger Description text area.
- Type the new values for each field you want to change. For Keywords, separate each tag with a comma so readers can search them individually.
- Switch to the Custom tab if your workflow uses XMP properties. Add a new name, choose a type, and enter the value. Click Add to store the entry.
- Click the Advanced tab to view the raw XMP stream if you need to verify a custom namespace was written correctly.
- Press OK to apply the changes, then use File > Save (or Ctrl+S on Windows, Command+S on macOS) to write the new metadata into the PDF.
- Reopen the file or hit File > Properties again to confirm the new values are persistent before sharing the document.
Acrobat rewrites the Info dictionary and the XMP stream when you save, so the updated values appear in Reader, browser viewers, and reference managers immediately.
Edit the Same Metadata Without Acrobat in Your Browser
You do not always have Acrobat available, especially on a borrowed computer or a locked-down work device. The PDF Metadata Editor reads and updates the identical set of fields directly inside your browser, and the file never leaves your device. The privacy benefit matters when you are cleaning metadata from a sensitive document before sharing it externally, since personal author names, internal project keywords, and timestamp trails can otherwise leak through the properties panel.
For workflows that also need to flatten form fields after editing properties, follow the related guide on how to flatten PDF form fields in your browser. If you need to remove identifying metadata only and leave the visible content alone, the guide on updating the date in PDF metadata without software walks through the date fields in detail. For broader coverage of every standard field, see the title, author, and keywords guide.
Step by Step: Update Metadata in the PDF Metadata Editor
The browser tool mirrors Acrobat's Description tab but runs locally, so nothing is uploaded to a server. Follow the steps below to read and rewrite your metadata in a few seconds.
- Open the PDF Metadata Editor in a modern browser such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari.
- Click Choose File and pick the PDF from your device. The tool reads the Info dictionary locally and lists every detected field, including Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Creator, Producer, CreationDate, and ModDate.
- Edit any field you want to change. Type a new title, replace the author name, add comma-separated keywords, or adjust the creation date using the date input.
- Click Save Metadata. The tool produces a new PDF copy with your updated values written into both the Info dictionary and the XMP stream.
- Download the resulting file and open it in your preferred viewer to confirm the new properties appear in File > Properties or the Details panel.
Because the rewrite happens locally, you can process files that contain confidential information without triggering an upload policy. The output is a separate file, so the original remains untouched if you ever need to compare before and after.
Common Reasons to Edit PDF Metadata
Most users edit metadata for one of three reasons. The first is searchability: enterprise document management systems and SharePoint libraries index the Title, Author, and Keywords fields, so a PDF titled "Report" with an empty Author is much harder to find than one titled "Q3 Marketing Report - North America" with the right author and keywords. The second is privacy: every PDF your scanner produces carries your name and the scan timestamp in the Producer and Author fields, and removing those values before sharing externally prevents inadvertent disclosure. The third is archival compliance: legal, medical, and financial workflows often require fixed CreationDate and ModDate values for chain-of-custody records, and a single metadata edit stamps the right timestamp without touching the visible content.
Verifying Metadata After Saving
After saving either in Acrobat or with the browser editor, open the new file in any viewer and check the properties again. In Acrobat the values appear under File > Properties > Description. In Chrome the title appears in the tab bar and the full metadata panel appears when you open the file in the built-in viewer. In macOS Preview the values appear in Tools > Show Inspector > Document Info. If the title is still showing the old name, the file may have been cached; close the tab or quit and reopen the document.
For the deepest verification, open the file in a tool that displays the raw XMP packet, such as the Acrobat Advanced tab or a dedicated XMP inspector, and confirm the values were mirrored into the XMP stream as well as the Info dictionary. The PDF specification, maintained by ISO for the PDF format, defines both storage locations, and consistent values across them prevent inconsistencies in older viewers that read only the Info dictionary.
Troubleshooting Metadata That Will Not Update
If a field refuses to change, three causes are common. First, the PDF may be signed or certified; Acrobat locks metadata on signed files to preserve the signature's integrity. Second, a permission password may restrict metadata editing under the security settings; you will need the password to remove the restriction. Third, the field may live in a custom XMP namespace that the editor does not write to, in which case Acrobat's Custom tab is the right place.
When the file is locked, flatten or remove annotations first with the Remove PDF Annotations tool to clear any embedded widgets, then attempt the metadata edit again. If you still cannot change the values, open the file in Acrobat, choose File > Properties > Security, and confirm Document Restrictions do not include Editing Metadata in the list.
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