Metadata is data that provides information about other data. It does not refer to the content of a file, but to the hidden information of a file, such as its title, author, time and date of creation. Metadata can make files easier to search, so editing metadata as accurately and specifically as possible becomes essential to improve the file's searchability. This article will focus on how to edit metadata in PDF. But before we do that, let's look at some conceptual issues.
Cisdem PDFMaster
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Simply put, PDF metadata is data about a PDF file. It summarizes a lot of additional information about a PDF document, including but not limited to the following:
In summary, PDF metadata refers to properties of a PDF file that identify what that PDF is about.
For easy access, PDF is becoming increasingly common in everyday life. Each of you probably has stored hundreds of PDF files on your computer. Once the file is not named correctly or you forget the file name, it can take lots of time to find a particular file.
But with PDF metadata, you can quickly find the target file if you know the file's title, author, subject, keywords or any other description items that you had added to that PDF. The same is true when you search for a file on the Internet. The more keywords you enter, the easier it will be to locate the PDF file.
After learning what PDF metadata is and what it does, we realized that metadata is an integral part of PDF files. Now it’s time to learn how to change the metadata of a PDF with appropriate tools.
The best software we recommend for editing PDF metadata on Mac and Windows is Cisdem PDFMaster. It is a stunning program that makes managing the PDF metadata easy-peasy. You can utilize it to check the document properties and see if there are any restrictions imposed on the PDF. Moreover, some basic facts about the PDF like file size, number of pages, the file title/subject/keywords/author, created date and last modified date are displayed clearly. If necessary, it takes only few steps to edit and remove these metadata.
Free Download macOS 10.13 or later Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7 
Adobe Acrobat is a powerful and full-featured PDF editor that requires a high cost. You can do all your PDF work including editing, signing and converting with Adobe Acrobat, and get the job done wherever you go by working across the desktop app, mobile app and even web. Here are several steps to edit PDF metadata using Adobe Acrobat both on Mac and Windows.
Foxit PDF Editor is a leading PDF editing solution in the world. It offers a clear and user-friendly Ribbon-style toolbar--similar to the Microsoft Office user interface, which greatly shorten the user's learning curve. With Foxit's PDF Editor, you can easily create and edit your PDFs, as well as editing PDF metadata.
In addition to downloading software, you can also choose online PDF editing tools. Their biggest advantage is that you can start editing anytime and anywhere with a stable Internet connection. However, it is worth mentioning that you should not upload private files or files containing confidential information, as online PDF tools pose a risk of disclosure. Here we’ve picked out 3 well-reviewed online tools to edit PDF metadata from Google rankings.
Sejda is a productive online PDF editing tool, where files are uploaded and processed on the third party servers. And files will be automatically deleted after 2 hours. With its built-in Edit PDF Metadata tool, you can change PDF author, title, keywords, subject, and other metadata fields effortlessly.
It is free to use with daily limits:
PDF Candy is a simple and fast solution that allows you to edit or remove PDF metadata free of charge. You can modify such PDF metadata values as Author, Title, Subject, Keywords, Created on, and Modified on dates in no time. But same as Sejda, you’re asked for a sign up and web subscription for no hourly file limits and high priority processing.
2PDF.com has offered users several basic functionalities to cope with PDF files. All of them are simple to use and cost free. However, there are many huge annoying commercial ads on its web page, which extremely mars the overall positive user experience. For those pursuing a comfortable experience and advanced practices, this online meta editor is not ideal.
Up to now, we have introduced 6 efficient ways to edit PDF metadata on Mac and Windows, Some require a download and installment, while others offer an instant web service. A majority prefer online free services in the beginning, but find them fall short of their expectation and turn to desktop applications eventually.
Taking all the factors into consideration, Cisdem PDFMaster must be the optimal one, which gives users a safe and stable environment to edit PDF metadata and enables to do much more with PDF files than the online tools. What’s more, it offers a 14-day trial to unlock all features, why not give it a spin?
Free Download macOS 10.13 or later Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7
Jose specializes in reviews, how-to guides, top lists, etc. on PDF, data recovery and multi-media. On his spare time, he likes to travel or challenge some extreme sports.
