17
3
I would like to share a PDF file on a forum anonymously. When I right click on file and go to 'Details' tab, it shows my computer name and owner name. How do I remove (hide) this information?
Prostak
Posted 2011-04-25T21:43:11.087
Reputation: 337
11
Those details exist for files other than PDFs. The Owner and Computer details you wish to remove are used for permissioning and only exist on your local computer. When you share that file elsewhere, the details will not be in the file.
Gaff
Posted 2011-04-25T21:43:11.087
Reputation: 16 863
8
If you want to remove attributes and metadata from a PDF without using additional programs, you can open the PDF with Google Chrome, click print, and then select the Save As PDF setting from Chrome. Save the PDF and you'll see the data cleared when you go to File -> Properties in a PDF that was previously protected.
superuser123
Posted 2011-04-25T21:43:11.087
Reputation: 81
It works, but the size of the PDF file sometimes increases. – Vladimir Reshetnikov – 2016-11-20T20:59:57.927
4
Sometimes, Adobe PDFs are strange in that none of your "properties" tab based advice worked, as least as far as removing names from a Comment box. They seem to do incremental or one-place only author name removals. If you like to comment in documents, then make the first comment, so that the comment box will pop-up. Then, remove the author's or login name and select "Make Current Properties Default" so that the remaining comment boxes also don't show the author's names.
Unfortunately, you'll need to follow the other advice on this page to remove the overall author's name, like going to Property tabs.
Very annoying.
Fred
Posted 2011-04-25T21:43:11.087
Reputation: 41
1
I made it!!! Just go the document Word version, click save as, then before select "pdf" under "Save as type:", delete all is in the field "Authors:" and also click on "options" button on this window and deselect in the pop up window the "document properties" and "document structure tags for accessibility". Then click "ok" and "Save". Ta da!:)
Cristiana
Posted 2011-04-25T21:43:11.087
Reputation: 21
1
I'm going to assume you're using Windows. If you right click and choose "properties" on the .pdf, then choose the "details" tab there is an option to "Remove Properties and Personal Information". You can choose what to remove, either some or all of the properties.
tombull89
Posted 2011-04-25T21:43:11.087
Reputation: 6 533
The "Remove Properties and Personal Information" feature is not enough when dealing with PDF files. The problem is not the 'Owner' and 'Computer' informations (don't care about those ones, read Gareth's answer), but the 'Title', 'Author', 'Subject', 'Keywords' fields that you can see inside your PDF Reader. – Kar.ma – 2017-01-02T11:23:36.253
3I wasn't able to remove 'Owner' and 'Computer' information when I followed your steps. – Prostak – 2011-04-25T23:03:18.193
@Prostak, see Gareth's answer above. – tombull89 – 2011-04-26T07:24:55.963
0
I use Foxit Phantom PDF Business
Per the manual for Foxit Phantom Business, version 7.3, page 240 of 311 in the PDF (numbered page 239)
Remove Hidden Data
Foxit PhantomPDF supports to sanitize documents by removing the hidden information that is private or sensitive for users from their PDFs, generally including metadata, embedded content and attached files, scripts, etc.
You can remove hidden data from a PDF by one-click, please go to PROTECT > Hidden Data > Sanitize Document
. . . In my case, 7 PDFs went from a total of 109.0 MB to 56.5 MB. There was just a little highlighting done in one of the PDFs.
sludge705x
Posted 2011-04-25T21:43:11.087
Reputation: 53
It sounds like great software, but I don't think it actually addresses the specific question from the OP. The officially accepted answer explains that those two fields (Owner and Computer) are volatile, and as a result they will change to effectively protect their privacy. – Run5k – 2017-02-08T01:20:14.890
1@Gareth: There may still be the
Authorfield filled into the metadata of the PDF file itself, which may leak the same info @Prostak is trying to keep private. – Kurt Pfeifle – 2011-08-08T20:03:00.1471@Prostak: you should also check the Document Properties... menu item which is is available from right-clicking into any of he PDF's pages when opened in Acrobat Reader or Acrobat Pro... – Kurt Pfeifle – 2011-08-08T20:04:51.033