About Sanitize PDF
Sanitize PDF removes hidden data from a PDF while keeping the visible pages the same. Choose what to strip: metadata, JavaScript and automatic actions, embedded files, links, and comments.
PDFs carry more than their pages. A file can reveal the author's name, the software and operating system used, editing dates, review comments, attached spreadsheets and scripts that run when someone opens it. Journalists, lawyers, HR teams and anyone publishing documents online should clean files before they leave the organization.
After cleaning, the tool reports what it found and removed.
How to use Sanitize PDF
- Open the PDF you want to clean.
- Tick the kinds of data to remove. Metadata, scripts and attachments are on by default.
- Add links and comments if you want those gone too.
- Click Clean PDF, check the report and download the sanitized copy.
Metadata removal
Deletes author, title, software, dates and the XMP metadata stream.
Script removal
Strips JavaScript and actions that run when the file opens.
Attachment removal
Removes files embedded inside the PDF.
Clear report
See how many scripts, attachments, links and comments the tool removed.
Hidden data in PDFs and why it matters
Metadata comes in two places. The document information dictionary stores title, author, subject, keywords, creator, producer and dates. The XMP stream stores the same and often more, such as editing history and identifiers that tie a file back to the original document. Sanitize removes both.
JavaScript in PDFs powers form calculations and validations, but attackers also use it to exploit vulnerable readers or to phone home when someone opens a file. An OpenAction runs when the document opens, and additional actions run on page views or field focus. If you didn't add these on purpose, remove them.
Embedded files are complete files stored inside the PDF, such as a source spreadsheet attached to a report. Recipients may never notice them, which is why they leak data. Comments and markup, such as sticky notes and highlights from a review round, can reveal internal discussion that was never meant to leave the team.
Sanitizing doesn't touch visible page content. If the page itself shows confidential text, including text hidden under a black rectangle drawn on top, that text remains in the file. Proper redaction requires removing the text from the page content, which only dedicated redaction tools do. For a strong guarantee, run Flatten PDF with the whole page option after sanitizing; it converts pages to images and drops any text hidden under shapes.
Tips for better results
- Sanitize every PDF you publish on a website or send to the press.
- Check the file name too. Sanitizing can't change it, and file names often contain draft numbers or client names.
- Remove links only if you have a reason. They help readers and rarely leak data.
- Keep the original if your form needs its scripts to calculate totals.
Questions and answers
Does sanitizing change how the document looks?
No. Visible page content stays the same. Only hidden data, and links or comments if you chose them, get removed.
Will form calculations still work?
Not if you remove JavaScript. Leave that option off for interactive forms you still need to fill.
Does it remove text covered by black boxes?
No. Use Flatten PDF with the whole page option after sanitizing to convert pages to images.
Is the file uploaded?
No. Cleaning happens on your device.
Why is the cleaned file smaller?
Removed attachments, metadata and scripts free up space.