Edit PDF metadata on your Mac

When you need this

A PDF can carry a stale title or author even when the visible report is correct. Updating those details is useful before distributing a copy whose document properties should match its current purpose. Inspect the values loaded from the file, and decide which fields should be updated or left empty instead of assuming the filename supplies them.

How to do it in DipperPDF

Download the DMG from GitHub Releases, open it, drag DipperPDF into Applications, and launch the app from there. The app’s README specifies macOS 14 or later. Downloading the app requires a connection, but the PDF operation works offline once the app is installed. You do not need an account, subscription, trial, or paid upgrade to use the tool.

1. Open the PDF in Edit PDF Metadata.
2. Review and edit Title, Author, Subject, and Keywords.
3. Click Edit PDF Metadata and compare the original and updated field values.
4. Use Save PDF… to write a separate copy, then inspect its document properties.

What it does not do

Only the four exposed fields are edited. Empty values clear those fields, while attributes outside them are retained by the operation. Clearing metadata does not remove names printed on pages, embedded information elsewhere in the document, or every possible identifying attribute. It is not a complete privacy sanitization workflow.

A worked example

Suppose an exported proposal still has the title of an earlier draft and an author value from a template. Replace the title with the current proposal name, correct or clear the author, and enter a short subject if appropriate. Prepare the result and inspect the field comparison. Save the updated copy and check both its visible cover and its properties; the tool does not change the cover’s printed heading.

Check the result before sharing

Reopen the saved copy and inspect its document properties, then compare the page appearance with the source. Keep the filename and the title property distinct in your reasoning: changing one does not necessarily change the other. If your aim is privacy, also inspect visible text, review comments, and images. The four editable fields cover only their own metadata values. An empty author field is useful evidence about that field, not evidence that every identifying detail has been removed.

Preparing a result and saving it are separate steps. Use the prepared view to check the outcome before choosing a destination. Save under a descriptive name in a writable local folder, then reopen the saved output to check that you chose the intended result. DipperPDF saves a separate file and prevents overwriting an imported source. Keeping the original gives you a starting point if a selection or setting needs correction.

When not to use DipperPDF for this job

If you need to remove a name from the actual page, metadata editing will not do it. Use a supported redaction workflow for matching selectable text and review the entire output. If your distribution requirements demand a complete audit of embedded data or conformance to an archival standard, the four metadata controls are insufficient.

If the document needs another operation

If another operation is needed, save this result and import that saved copy into the next tool. There is no automatic chain of tasks here. Make the order deliberate: changing the page count or sequence can change which pages a later range refers to. When an input is encrypted, use Unlock PDF first with the password and permissions required by the document, then work with the authorized unencrypted copy.

FAQ