What is PDF Metadata?

Hidden descriptive fields inside a PDF — title, author, creation date, software used, XMP packets, and custom keys.

Every PDF carries two metadata stores: the legacy Info Dictionary (Title/Author/Subject/Keywords) and the modern XMP packet (RDF-based, extensible). Metadata aids search, archiving, and provenance — but can also leak sensitive details like author name or original filename, which is why sanitization is part of secure workflows.

Also known as

  • XMP
  • PDF info dictionary

Related terms

  • PDF/A — PDF/A is an ISO-standardized PDF variant designed for long-term archiving — all fonts and resources are embedded so the file renders identically forever.

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Category: PDF Format