Who created this PDF?
Drop a PDF to see who created it
Any PDF document
Works with Word Google Docs Acrobat LibreOffice
or paste a link (Ctrl+V) Paste a link
How it works
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Drop your file in the box above, or tap to choose one.
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We read the information saved inside it. This takes a few seconds.
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The answer appears right away, with a link you can share and the full details if you want them.
Where does a PDF's author come from?
Word, Google Docs, Acrobat and most other apps save a few details inside every PDF they make: an author, a title, the app used and the dates it was created and changed. The author is usually taken automatically from the account or computer that made the file.
This tool reads those details. It's handy for finding out where a document came from, or checking what your own PDFs reveal before you send them.
- Author name
- App that made it
- Created and modified dates
Questions and answers
How do I find out who created a PDF?
Drop the PDF into the box above. If an author name is saved in the file, it appears in a few seconds, with the app that created the document and its dates.
Why is the author missing?
Not every app fills it in, and some tools remove it when you export, print to PDF, compress or merge a file. Scanned documents usually have only the scanner's name.
Can the PDF author be faked?
Yes. Anyone can change the author with a PDF editor, so it is a clue about where a file came from, not proof.
What is the difference between "Created with" and "PDF made by"?
"Created with" is the app the document was written in, such as Microsoft Word. "PDF made by" is the software that turned it into a PDF, which can be the same app or a separate converter.
How do I remove my name from a PDF?
Use our free Metadata Remover to remove the author and other hidden details, or clear them in your PDF app's document properties before you share the file.
What happens to my file?
Your file is sent over an encrypted connection, read on our servers and deleted automatically after about 24 hours. The answer is kept on a page with its own link, so you can share it. Tool result pages are never listed in search engines.