✎ Edit PDF Metadata

Editing PDF metadata lets you set the document's title, author, subject, and keywords, the hidden details that shape how a file is labeled, searched, and displayed by apps and search tools.

What PDF metadata is

Every PDF carries information fields describing the document, such as its title and author, separate from the visible page content. Viewers use the title in their window bar, and search and library tools use these fields to index and sort files, so accurate metadata makes documents easier to find and identify.

These fields are invisible on the page itself but travel inside the file, which is why a document can display a stray title left over from the template it was built from. Setting them deliberately gives the file a clean identity: a clear title that viewers show instead of the file name, a consistent author so your documents group together, and focused keywords that help document-management systems surface it. Editing metadata changes only this descriptive layer and leaves every page exactly as it was.

When to edit metadata

• A file shows a wrong or blank title in a viewer or library.
• You want to set a proper author and title before publishing a document.
• Keywords would help a document-management system index the file.
• You are cleaning up metadata left over from a template or old draft.

How Slate edits metadata privately

You update the fields you care about and Slate writes them into a new copy of the PDF on your device, without uploading the file. The page content is untouched; only the descriptive information changes, so the document looks the same but is labeled correctly.

Tips for useful metadata

• Set a clear, descriptive title, since many apps display it instead of the file name.
• Use consistent author names so your documents group together neatly.
• Add a few relevant keywords rather than a long, unfocused list.
• Review metadata before sharing publicly to avoid leaving in draft or template details.