Extract Metadata - Free Online Browser Tool

Inspect PDF Title, Author, Creator, Producer, and creation timestamps.

A PDF carries a document information dictionary with a title, author, subject, keywords, the application that produced it and timestamps. This tool reads that dictionary so you can see who created a file, with what, and when — before you decide to send it.

This extract metadata utility runs completely inside your web browser. Your document is opened locally and processed on your own device using JavaScript and WebAssembly, so your file is never uploaded to any server. There is no signup, no watermark and no limit on how many documents you can handle.

  • 100% client-side - files never leave your device
  • Instant processing, no upload wait
  • Works on desktop, tablet and mobile
  • Free forever, no account required

Common next steps: Edit PDF Metadata, View XMP / Raw Metadata, Accessibility Checker (PDF/UA).

How to Use the Extract Metadata Tool

Four steps, and the whole thing runs locally on your own device.

  1. Load the PDF

    Drop in the document whose properties you want to read — the information dictionary is opened locally, in this tab.

  2. Read the information dictionary

    Title, author, subject, keywords, creator application, producer and creation and modification dates are displayed.

  3. Check the timestamps

    Creation and modification times often reveal more about a document’s history than the visible content does.

  4. Export or clean

    Download the metadata report, or run Remove / Clean Metadata to strip it from the file.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a PDF always have metadata?

No. Many PDFs are exported with no information dictionary at all, and in that case the tool simply reports that the fields are empty.

Who can see this metadata?

Anyone who opens the file. It is not private to the creator, which is why author names and internal project details are a genuine disclosure risk.

What is the difference between Creator and Producer?

Creator is the application that originally authored the document; Producer is the tool that produced the final PDF, often a different program in a conversion chain.

Is this the same as View XMP / Raw Metadata?

No. This tool reads the standard information dictionary. The XMP tool goes deeper into the embedded XML metadata packet.

Does opening a PDF update its modification date?

Only if the file is saved. Simply reading a document leaves its timestamps untouched.