Who made this PDF, and when? Every PDF can carry hidden details such as an author name, a producer program, and dates. The PDF Metadata Viewer reads those details and shows them in a simple table.
It is for anyone who wants to check a file before sharing it. The tool only reads and reports. It never edits your PDF. Your file is read in your browser and is not uploaded.
Table of Contents
- What the Tool Does
- How to Use It, Step by Step
- How It Works
- A Walkthrough With a Real File
- How to Read the Results
- Privacy and File Handling
- Limitations You Should Know
- FAQs About the PDF Metadata Viewer
What the Tool Does
The page shows four summary cards, a results table, and three buttons.
- Document Title, Author, and Producer Engine: cards that repeat three key values.
- Info Fields Filled: a count such as "6 of 8" for the document info fields that hold a value.
- Table: Metadata Attribute, Extracted Value, and Privacy Assessment columns.
- Copy JSON Metadata: copies the table values as JSON text.
- Load Sample Metadata and Clear Results: fill the page with demo values, or empty it.
How to Use It, Step by Step
- Click the box that reads "Drag & drop PDF to inspect metadata", or drop a file on it.
- Wait for the status line to read "Done. Metadata read from your file".
- Check the Privacy Assessment column for rows marked with a warning sign.
- Click Copy JSON Metadata if you want the values as text.
- Click Clear Results before you load a different file, if you like.
How It Works
The tool opens your PDF with the pdf-lib code library. It loads the file without letting the library add its own values. So you see only what the file itself stores.
Choose PDF→Read document info→Show table and cards→Review or copy JSON
The table has eleven rows. They are Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Creator, Producer, Creation Date, Modification Date, Page Count, PDF Specification, and XMP Metadata Stream. Empty fields show "(Not specified)".
A Walkthrough With a Real File
Omar receives a six-page service agreement from a vendor. Before he forwards it, he wants to know what the file reveals. He drops it on the viewer.
The table shows a Title, an Author, a Creator, a Producer, and both dates. Subject and Keywords read "(Not specified)". Page Count shows 6, and the Info Fields Filled card shows "6 of 8".
The Author row says "Often a person's name", and the Creator and Producer rows say "Shows the software used". Omar sees that the author is a staff name he did not expect. He decides to ask the vendor for a clean copy.
How to Read the Results
The Extracted Value column shows what the file stores in its document info. Dates appear in UTC, in a form such as 2026-03-04T15:20:00.000Z.
The Privacy Assessment column is a plain reminder, not a verdict. Title, Subject, and Keywords read "Free text, may contain names (check it)". Dates read "Shows when the file was made or changed", and an empty field reads "Nothing stored in this field".
The XMP row reads "Present (contents not shown)" or "Not found". To change these values, use the PDF Metadata Editor. To clear them, use the PDF Metadata Remover.
Privacy and File Handling
The page loads the pdf-lib script from unpkg, a public script host. That script is code, not your file. Your file is read into memory by the browser, and the table is built on your device.
The code shows no step that sends the file to a server. The tool keeps no copy, so choose the file again after a refresh.
Limitations You Should Know
- It reads only the standard document info fields. Custom info keys are not shown.
- XMP contents are not parsed, so a file can hold more hidden data than the table lists.
- A password-protected or damaged file shows "This PDF could not be read" and a hint to unlock or repair it.
- A bad date in the file shows "(Invalid date in file)", and the other rows still appear.
- Load Sample Metadata shows invented data, such as a made-up analyst and a 42-page report.
- It handles one file at a time and cannot edit or save the file.
For file-level facts, see the PDF File Information Viewer. To confirm the version, try the PDF Version Checker. To confirm the page total, use the PDF Page Counter. More tools are in the PDF tools hub.
FAQs About the PDF Metadata Viewer
Where does the PDF Specification value come from?
It comes from the header line at the start of your file, such as "PDF 1.4". If the tool cannot find one, the row reads "(Not found in file header)".
Why does the table show no author at all?
Many programs leave the author blank. The tool shows only values stored in the file. It no longer fills gaps with the library's own name or a made-up date.
What does Copy JSON Metadata copy?
It copies all eleven rows as JSON text, and the status line reads "Metadata copied as JSON". With nothing loaded, it says "No metadata loaded. Choose a PDF first."
Does a warning sign mean my file leaks personal data?
No. The sign marks fields that often hold names or tools, so you know where to look. Read the values yourself before you share the file.
Why does the count say "of 8"?
Only the eight document info fields are counted. Page Count, PDF Specification, and the XMP row are not part of that number.
Why might a date look an hour or more off?
The tool shows dates in UTC, not your local time zone. A file saved in the evening may show the next day.
This tool runs in your web browser and may not handle every PDF file, font, or browser the same way. Keep a backup of your original file. Reviewed for general accuracy by Prof. Dr. Khalil Mudassar, PhD.