PDFNova

PDF guide

How to edit PDF title and author metadata for work documents for free

PDFNova's PDF Metadata workflow is free and requires no registration. Review the supported title, author, subject, and keyword fields, replace incorrect or outdated values, export the updated work PDF in the browser, and verify both the visible document and metadata before distribution.

Author
PDFNova Editorial Team
Published
Updated

Use PDF Metadata

Define the approved metadata values

Use the organization's document-naming, authorship, project, client, records, or publishing rules to determine the correct title, author, subject, and keywords.

Do not assume the visible cover title automatically matches the PDF metadata stored in the file.

  • Use the official document title rather than a temporary file name.
  • Use an approved person, team, department, or organization as author.
  • Avoid confidential or personal information in metadata unless required.

Review and update supported fields

Open PDF Metadata, add the work document, and review the supported fields displayed by the tool. Replace incorrect, outdated, blank, or template-derived values with the approved information.

Export the updated PDF after the entries match the document-control requirement.

Verify metadata and document identity

Open the downloaded file in a PDF viewer that displays document properties and confirm the updated values. Check that the visible cover, file name, revision, and metadata describe the same document.

Keep the original file until the updated version has passed the required records or submission review.

  • Confirm the title is not inherited from an unrelated template.
  • Confirm the author value is appropriate for external recipients.
  • Confirm keywords are useful and do not expose restricted information.

Limitations

  • The workflow updates supported metadata fields only and does not edit visible text, remove every possible hidden object, or certify that a PDF contains no sensitive information.
  • Different viewers and document systems may display or index metadata differently, so the exported file must be checked in the intended work environment.