PDF Sanitizer

How to Sanitize a PDF

1. Drop your PDF onto the tool, or click Choose PDF File.
2. Read the Detected Metadata panel. It lists the title, author, subject, keywords, producer, creator and dates stored in the file, and tells you if XMP metadata is present.
3. Pick what to remove. Document properties, XMP metadata, comments, links, form fields and JavaScript are all checked to start with. Untick anything you want to keep.
4. Click Sanitize PDF. The cleanup runs in your browser tab and a progress bar shows where it is.
5. Check the summary, then click Download Sanitized PDF. The copy is saved with _sanitized added to the file name. Sanitize Another starts over with a new file.

Why Use This PDF Sanitizer

• Your file stays on your device. The PDF is read and cleaned by code running in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server.
• See what is inside first. The document properties the file carries are shown before you do anything.
• You choose what goes. Each option removes one thing: document properties, XMP metadata, comments, links, form fields, or JavaScript and actions.
• Text and quality stay. Pages are not redrawn, so text stays selectable and images keep their sharpness.
• Flatten when you need more. One optional switch turns every page into a picture for maximum removal.
• The original is untouched. You download a separate copy and keep your source file as it was.

Good to know: cleaning the file does not hide what is printed on the page. Names or numbers in the text stay visible, so use Redact PDF for those. Removing form fields flattens them, so what was typed in stays on the page as plain content. Bookmarks, embedded attachments and hidden layers are not removed by the standard options; flattening the pages to images drops them, along with text selection. A PDF that needs a password to open has to go through Unlock PDF first.

FAQ

What does a PDF sanitizer remove?

With the options on, it removes the document properties (author, title, subject, keywords, producer and dates), XMP metadata, comments and annotations, links and named destinations, form fields, and JavaScript or actions that run when the file opens.

How does this tool sanitize a PDF?

It opens your file in the browser, deletes the entries you ticked from the PDF structure, and saves the result as a new file. The pages themselves are kept as they are.

Can I still select or search the text afterwards?

Yes, unless you flatten the pages. Without flattening, the text and images are left untouched. With flattening on, every page becomes a picture and the text can no longer be selected.

Is the cleaned PDF completely free of properties?

The author, title, subject, keywords, creator, producer and date entries are removed when Remove Document Metadata is on. Some viewers show the file name or size, which are not stored inside the PDF.

Will it hide names or numbers that are printed on the page?

No. Anything visible stays visible. To cover sensitive text, redact it first and then sanitize the result.

Is my PDF uploaded anywhere, and is there a size limit?

No, the PDF stays on your device while it is processed in your browser. Your file size limit is shown on this page, and a free account raises it.