How to Change PDF Title and Author Properties in Acrobat Reader
Question details
The user needs to change the Title and Author metadata in a PDF using Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A PDF exported from a Microsoft Office document is displaying the previous computer owner's name in the document properties and browser tab.
- Observed behavior
- The user is unable to find an editing option to modify the Title and Author metadata directly within Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is a free PDF viewer and does not include advanced metadata editing tools. To change these properties, you will need either the original source document or a dedicated premium PDF editor.
Edit Metadata in the Original Office Document Before Exporting
Since Acrobat Reader cannot edit PDF properties, the most reliable method is to update the metadata in the original Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file and recreate the PDF.
PDF documents inherit their metadata from the application used to create them. If a document was created on a computer with an old owner's name registered in the Office software, that name will transfer to the PDF's Author field.
Launch your Microsoft Office application and open the original Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file used to create the PDF.
Click on the 'File' tab in the top-left corner of the ribbon, and select 'Info' from the left-hand menu.
Locate the 'Properties' panel on the right side of the screen. Click directly into the 'Title' and 'Author' fields to delete the outdated information and type in your new details.
Go back to 'File', select 'Save As' or 'Export', choose 'PDF' as your file format, and save the document. The new PDF will now contain your updated metadata.
Easily Manage Document Metadata and Edit PDFs with WPS Office
Instead of switching between separate PDF readers and word processors, use WPS Office. It provides a complete, lightweight suite allowing you to seamlessly create, edit, and update document properties for both Office files and PDFs.
- 1. Open Your Document in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open your source document in the Writer, Spreadsheet, or Presentation module.
- 2. Access Document Properties: Click on 'Menu' in the top-left corner, navigate to 'Document Info', and select 'Properties'.
- 3. Update the Metadata: In the Summary tab, enter the correct information into the Title and Author fields, then click 'OK' to save your changes.
- 4. Export as PDF: Click on 'Menu' again and select 'Export to PDF' to generate your new, properly labeled PDF file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my PDF show the wrong title in the web browser tab?
When a PDF is opened in a modern web browser, the tab often displays the 'Document Title' property embedded in the metadata rather than the actual file name. If the source document had an old or generic title in its properties, it will carry over to the PDF and appear in the browser tab.
Can I edit PDF metadata for free without the original file?
To edit metadata without access to the source file, you typically need a PDF editor. While premium desktop tools like Adobe Acrobat Pro offer this, there are also various secure, free online PDF metadata editors where you can upload your file, change the Title and Author properties, and download the updated version.
How do I view the current Title and Author of my PDF?
In Adobe Acrobat Reader or WPS PDF, simply open the PDF file, click on 'File' (or 'Menu'), and select 'Properties'. Under the 'Description' tab, you will see the current metadata, including Title, Author, Subject, and PDF Producer.
