How do I remove the author name and other metadata from a PDF?

Question

Before I send a PDF to a client I want to remove my name and the program that made it from the file properties. Where are those stored?

Kerry Wilson · Accepted Answer

They are in the document properties, called metadata.

Quick look: open the PDF in Acrobat Reader and press Ctrl + D (File > Properties). You see Title, Author, Subject and the creating application.

To remove it:
1. In Word, before exporting, choose File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document and remove personal information. Then export to PDF.
2. In Acrobat Pro use Tools > Redact > Remove Hidden Information (sanitize) to strip metadata and other hidden content.
3. Printing to a new PDF gives a clean file with only the printer name as creator.

Also look at comments, bookmarks and attached files because those can carry names too.

Hector Zimmer · Answer

Inspect Document in Word did the job. Thanks.