PDF files contain metadata fields similar to Word’s document properties that hold information regarding the document’s title, author, subject, keywords, PDF creator / producer, copyright status etc.
Typically, most PDF reader applications neither use this metadata information nor do they provide a means of editing them. Applications such as e-book management software and e-readers, however, heavily rely on this metadata to categorize and identify the books rather than relying on the file names alone.
Unfortunately, most PDFs contain no metadata and when they do, it’s usually poorly formatted or contain some unrelated data. You can however correct this by using a standalone application like PDF Metadata Editor. The freeware program is available on Windows, Linux and MacOS. Here’s how to use it.
Steps
- The application needs Java to work. If you don’t have the Java runtime already installed, start by downloading and installing Java version 8 (https://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp) on your operating system (Java 9+ versions are not supported).
- Next, download PDF Metadata Editor for your OS and install it. There’s an installer version and a portable one which doesn’t require installing.
- Launch PDF Metadata Editor and click the Open button to add a PDF file or drag it into the program’s window.
- Edit the metadata fields and click the Save button when done. That’s it.
The free version of the application supports editing metadata one file at a time. Batch operation are also supported, but require purchasing a one-time licence that includes other features such as editing over command line and exporting metadata to JSON or YAML.
