How to edit a PDF's title, author and metadata

Where metadata shows up

• The browser tab title when the PDF is opened online — the title field, not the filename.
• Search results within a document management system.
• The Properties or Get Info panel in any PDF reader.
• Automated indexing on portals and intranets.

Why it matters before sharing

Exports inherit the author name from the account that created them, and the title from the original template. Sending a client a proposal titled "Copy of template v3 FINAL" with a former colleague's name in the author field is a small but avoidable embarrassment.

Writing a useful title

Treat the title as the document's name in every system that indexes it. 'Tenancy agreement — 14 Oak Road — March 2026' is findable a year later; 'Untitled document' is not.

Keep it descriptive rather than clever, put the distinguishing detail early, and stay consistent across a set of related documents so they sort together.

Cleaning up before sending externally

• Author: replace a personal or former colleague's name with your organisation.
• Subject: a one-line summary, or empty rather than a leftover template line.
• Keywords: remove internal project codes and client names you would not say out loud.
• Producer and creator fields reveal the software used; harmless in most cases, worth knowing about.

Step by step

1. 1Open the PDF in the metadata editor.
2. 2Review the existing title, author, subject and keywords.
3. 3Set a title that reads well as a tab heading.
4. 4Clear or correct the author and any leftover keywords.
5. 5Save and download the updated file.

Frequently asked questions

Does this remove everything identifying?

It updates the standard document information fields. It does not strip embedded content such as text hidden behind graphics or details inside embedded images.

Is the filename the same as the title?

No. They are independent, which is exactly why a correctly named file can still display the wrong title when opened.