How do I remove metadata from a PDF before sharing?

Use a PDF metadata scrubber to remove author name, creation date, editing software, and other hidden information. This protects privacy when sharing documents externally. Some tools also remove comments, form data, and revision history.

PDF Guide: Merge, Split, Compress & Convert PDFs Online

Everything you need to know about manipulating PDF files. Learn practical techniques for merging, splitting, compressing, and converting PDFs using free browser-based tools.

Understanding PDF Files

PDF (Portable Document Format) was created by Adobe in 1992 to share documents that look the same on any device. Today, PDFs are the standard for contracts, reports, forms, and official documents.

What Makes PDFs Special

Device independent: Looks identical on Windows, Mac, phones, and printers
Self-contained: Fonts, images, and formatting embedded in the file
Secure: Can be password-protected and digitally signed
Compact: Efficient compression for text and images

PDF Structure

A PDF file contains:

Pages: Individual page content and layout
Resources: Fonts, images, color profiles
Metadata: Author, creation date, title, keywords
Bookmarks: Navigation outline (optional)
Annotations: Comments, highlights, form fields

Merging PDFs

Combine multiple PDF files into a single document.

Common Use Cases

Combining scanned pages into one document
Merging cover letter with resume
Creating a single report from multiple files
Assembling a portfolio

Best Practices

Organize first: Arrange files in the correct order before merging
Check orientation: Ensure all pages have consistent orientation
Verify page sizes: Mixed sizes can look unprofessional
Add bookmarks: For long merged documents, add navigation

Privacy note: Browser-based PDF tools process files locally on your device. Your documents never leave your computer.

Splitting PDFs

Divide a PDF into multiple smaller files.

Splitting Options

By page range: Extract pages 1-10 as one file, 11-20 as another
Every N pages: Split every 5 pages into separate files
By bookmarks: Split at chapter boundaries
By file size: Create chunks under a size limit

When to Split

Email attachments exceed size limits
Only specific pages are needed
Distributing chapters separately
Creating handouts from a larger document

Extracting Pages

Pull specific pages from a PDF into a new file.

Page Selection Methods

Single page:     5
Multiple pages:  1, 3, 5, 7
Range:           10-20
Combined:        1, 3, 10-20, 25
All odd pages:   1, 3, 5, 7...
All even pages:  2, 4, 6, 8...

Common Scenarios

Extracting a specific form from a packet
Pulling charts/graphs for a presentation
Creating a summary from a longer report
Removing unwanted pages

Tool: PDF Page Extractor

Select and extract specific pages with visual preview. Works entirely in your browser.

Converting To/From PDF

Converting TO PDF

Source	Method	Quality
Images (JPG, PNG)	Image to PDF Converter	Excellent
HTML/Web pages	HTML to PDF Converter	Good
PowerPoint (PPTX)	PPTX to PDF Converter	Excellent
Word documents	Print to PDF (built into OS)	Excellent

Converting FROM PDF

Target	Method	Notes
Images	PDF to Image Converter	Each page becomes an image
EPUB (eBooks)	PDF to EPUB Converter	Best for text-heavy PDFs
Text	Copy/paste or OCR	OCR needed for scanned docs

Conversion Quality Tips

For images to PDF: Use 150-300 DPI for print quality
For PDF to images: Higher resolution = larger files
For text extraction: Native PDFs work better than scanned

Compressing PDFs

Reduce PDF file size for easier sharing and storage.

What Gets Compressed

Images: Often the biggest opportunity (can reduce 50-90%)
Fonts: Subset embedding removes unused characters
Metadata: Remove hidden data and editing history
Structure: Optimize internal file organization

Compression Levels

Low Compression

10-30% size reduction
Minimal quality loss
Best for print

Medium Compression

30-60% size reduction
Good quality
Good for email

High Compression

60-90% size reduction
Visible quality loss
Screen viewing only

Tips for Smaller PDFs

Resize images before adding to document
Use vector graphics instead of images when possible
Avoid embedding full fonts (use subsets)
Remove unnecessary pages before finalizing

PDF Metadata & Privacy

PDFs can contain hidden information that reveals more than intended.

Common Metadata Fields

Author: Person who created the document
Creator/Producer: Software used (Word, Photoshop, etc.)
Creation/Modification dates: When file was made/edited
Title and Subject: Document description
Keywords: Searchable terms

Privacy Concerns

Your name might be embedded even in anonymous submissions
Editing history could reveal draft versions
GPS coordinates from photos might be preserved
Hidden text layers from OCR might contain errors

Tool: PDF Metadata Scrubber

Remove author info, creation dates, and tracking data from PDF files. Protect your privacy.

Accessibility Tips

Make PDFs accessible to users with disabilities.

Accessibility Checklist

Document structure: Use proper headings (H1, H2, etc.)
Alt text: Describe images for screen readers
Reading order: Ensure logical content flow
Color contrast: 4.5:1 ratio minimum
Searchable text: OCR scanned documents
Language: Set document language property

Avoid These Issues

Image-only PDFs (scans without OCR)
Untagged or poorly tagged documents
Color-only information (use patterns too)
Complex tables without proper headers

PDF Tools

PDF Page Extractor

PDF Metadata Scrubber

Image to PDF

PDF to Image

Frequently Asked Questions

Use a PDF merger tool to combine files. Select your PDFs in the desired order, then merge them. The result is a single PDF with all pages in sequence. For documents with different page sizes, consider if uniform sizing is important before merging.

Yes, browser-based PDF tools can split PDFs without any software. Upload your PDF, specify page ranges (1-5, 10-15) or split every N pages, and download the separate files. Many free tools work entirely in your browser for privacy.

Typical PDFs can be compressed 30-60% with minimal quality loss by optimizing images and removing metadata. High-compression mode (60-90% reduction) noticeably affects image quality. Text remains sharp at all compression levels. Choose based on whether the PDF is for screen or print.

Use browser-based tools that process files locally—your PDF never leaves your computer. Check for 'client-side processing' or 'no upload' claims. For highly sensitive documents, use offline desktop software or verify the tool's privacy policy.

Use a PDF page extractor to select specific pages by number, range (10-20), or combination (1, 3, 10-15). The tool creates a new PDF containing only your selected pages. This doesn't modify the original file.

Large PDFs usually contain high-resolution images, embedded fonts, or multiple layers. Scanned documents are especially large. Compress by reducing image quality, subsetting fonts (only including used characters), and removing hidden layers or metadata.

Yes, using OCR (Optical Character Recognition). OCR analyzes the scanned image and adds a text layer behind it. The PDF looks the same but text becomes selectable and searchable. Quality depends on scan resolution and text clarity.

PDF/A is an archival format designed for long-term preservation. It embeds all fonts, disallows external links and JavaScript, and uses specific color spaces. Government and legal documents often require PDF/A to ensure they remain readable for decades.

Use an image-to-PDF converter to combine multiple images into one PDF document. Each image typically becomes one page. Arrange images in desired order, optionally set page size and orientation, then convert. This is useful for creating portfolios or combining scanned pages.