How to see the hidden details of a PDF
- Tap "Add PDFs" or drop one or more PDFs onto the box.
- Read the list of details. Each one has a short line explaining what it means.
- If you like, download the details as a text file to keep.
Good to know
Most PDFs carry details you don’t see on the page: a title and author, the program the document was made in (the “creator”), the program that wrote the PDF file (the “producer”), and when it was made and last changed. Many also hold XMP metadata: a second, more detailed set of the same kind of details, stored as text in a format called XML, sometimes with a list of earlier saves.
The list also shows whether the file was saved again after it was first made. Many PDF programs add changes to the end of the file instead of rewriting it, so the earlier version is still inside. That is normal for forms and signatures, and it also happens when a PDF is edited.
These details are written by programs, and anyone with the right software can change them, so treat them as clues, not proof. A PDF that needs a password to open can be read once you type the password; it stays on your device. To remove the title, author and other details from a PDF, use Redact PDF: it removes them when it blacks out text.
Questions
What is PDF metadata?
The details stored inside a PDF about the file itself: title, author, subject, keywords, the programs that made it, and when it was made and changed. PDF readers show some of them under Document properties.
What is the difference between Creator and Producer?
The creator is the program the document was made in, such as a word processor. The producer is the program that wrote the PDF file, such as the PDF printer that program used. Often they are the same program.
Why does the date show a time zone?
PDF dates can include the time zone of the computer that made the file, for example +02:00 (two hours ahead of universal time). The list shows the time exactly as written in the file, with its time zone, and the same moment on your device’s clock.
Can it show who really made a PDF?
No. It shows what the file says. Names and dates can be typed in by anyone, and many programs leave them empty.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The PDF is read by your browser on your device. Nothing is sent to us or anyone else.
Page last reviewed 22 October 2026.