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Local PDF privacy tool

Inspect and clear common PDF metadata before you share a copy

Choose a flat PDF to see its document information fields, then download a separate local copy with common title, author, subject, keywords, and application fields cleared.

Choose your local files.

Choose files to load the local PDF workspace. Nothing is uploaded or stored by Aftermath.

The local PDF workspace loads after you choose a file.

Inspect or correct PDF properties locally

Choose one flat PDF to inspect its page geometry, normalize a separate copy to A4 or Letter, review common document metadata, or flag probably blank pages before you explicitly remove them from a new download. JavaScript activates the local diagnostic workspace on this page.

Make a deliberate sharing copy

The cleaner shows the common document-information values exposed by the local PDF library and clears those values in a separate output. It does not alter the source PDF and it does not claim to remove every possible embedded string, visual identifier, annotation, or hidden object.

Privacy needs more than metadata cleanup

A document can reveal information through visible text, images, filenames, annotations, embedded files, or document content. Review the exported copy and use a dedicated, authorised redaction workflow when sensitive content must be removed.

Questions people ask

Does clearing metadata redact PDF text?

No. Metadata cleanup handles common document information fields. Visible content and other embedded information need a separate review and, where appropriate, a proper redaction workflow.

Are PDFs uploaded for metadata cleanup?

No. Inspection and the separate cleaned download are created in the current browser tab.

Can I clean a signed PDF?

No. The tool rejects PDFs with form or signature markers so it does not invalidate or break a document that relies on them.

How to use this tool

Inspect common PDF document-information fields, then optionally create a separate copy with title, author, subject, keywords, creator, and producer cleared. This is not redaction and does not promise removal of every embedded identifier, visible detail, annotation, or filename. Review the cleaned document and its destination requirements before sharing it.

What to choose and what you get

What to choose

  • one readable flat PDF for common document-information inspection

Result

  • a local PDF metadata report and, when requested, a separate cleaned PDF copy

Supported use

  • Inspection of title, author, subject, keywords, creator, producer, creation date, and modification date when readable
  • Clearing the named writable text fields in a separate copy

Before you start

  • The cleaner does not redact visible content or promise removal of every identifier, annotation, filename, date, attachment, or hidden object.
  • Encrypted, interactive-form, signed, malformed, or over-limit PDFs are rejected.

Supported formats

  • Accepted formats: PDF.
  • Output formats: PDF, HTML report.

Browser support and permissions

  • Modern browser with JavaScript; flat PDF features, page limits, and available browser memory apply.
  • No camera, microphone, or screen permission is needed.

Choose the right settings

  • Use this route for common document-information inspection and a limited clearing copy.
  • Use an authorized redaction or sanitization workflow when sensitive content must be removed comprehensively.
  • Use other PDF leaves for page geometry, content overlays, ordering, extraction, or blank-page review.

Worked example

A flat PDF contains common title, author and subject fields that should be inspected and cleared from a copy.

Starting facts

  • Only supported document-information fields are in scope.
  • Visible page content and embedded complex data are separate surfaces.

Observed operation: Read the supported fields locally, show the report and create a separate PDF with the selected named fields cleared.

Review the result: Reopen the copy, inspect the reported fields and review visible pages before sharing it.

Boundary: Clearing common metadata is not redaction and does not prove removal of attachments, hidden content or every PDF metadata structure.

What you can do

Inspect common PDF document-information fields and clear named fields from a copy

Choose another tool when

  • Metadata cleanup is not content redaction and does not remove visible information.
  • The route does not guarantee removal of every embedded identifier, annotation, filename, date, or hidden object.

Next step: Choose a related route when the input, output, or required workflow is different.

If it does not work

  • The PDF is encrypted, malformed, signed, contains interactive form data, or exceeds the diagnostic limits.
  • The bundled PDF library cannot read or save the selected document.
  • Common fields are absent even though other identifying content remains elsewhere in the file.

Things to know

  • The cleaning action clears title, author, subject, keywords, creator, and producer; displayed dates are not claimed as cleared.
  • Metadata cleanup is not anonymity, sanitization, or redaction.
  • The separate output still requires visual and structural review before sharing.

Privacy boundary

Selected PDF bytes stay in the current browser session and are not sent to an Aftermath processing service. How local processing is verified.

What this tool verifies

Checks the displayed limits and reports or creates a local PDF metadata report and, when requested, a separate cleaned PDF copy from one readable flat PDF for common document-information inspection.

Check before sharing

Metadata cleanup is not content redaction and does not remove visible information.

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