PDF Bench

Remove metadata before emailing a PDF

Email feels casual, which is exactly why hidden PDF metadata gets missed. The file may look fine on the page and still carry author names, timestamps, attachments, or other extras you did not mean to send along.

What email recipients can still learn from the file

  • Who created the PDF and which app made it.
  • When the document was created or last edited.
  • Whether attachments, scripts, or other extras are still embedded inside.

How to do it

  1. Open Sanitize and load the file you plan to email.
  2. Choose quick clean for routine cleanup, or flattened copy for higher-risk situations.
  3. Open the cleaned file once more before attaching it to the email.

Final checks before you attach it

  • Make sure you attached the cleaned copy, not the original.
  • Check the filename if it contains client names, account numbers, or internal codes.
  • If the file also contains visible sensitive text, redact that first.

Related pages

Open Sanitize · Remove PDF metadata · How to share a PDF safely