About this tool
Find and remove hidden information from a PDF before you share it: metadata, attachments, scripts, comments, form data and links.
A PDF often carries more than its visible pages: the author name and software in the metadata, embedded files, JavaScript or actions that run when the file opens, comments, values typed into form fields, links to outside addresses, hidden layers and structure data. The audit lists each category with a count before anything is changed.
Standard cleaning removes metadata, scripts and automatic actions, and attachments. Deep cleaning also removes external links, comments, form values, page labels and the structure tree. Each change is made on the PDF objects themselves, never by editing raw bytes, and the new file is scanned again so the report can confirm every selected item is gone.
Sanitizing does not redact visible text on the page. If words or images on the page itself are confidential, use Redact PDF first.
Quick steps
- Choose the PDF and run the audit.
- Review what was found in each category.
- Pick Standard or Deep cleaning (or adjust the categories).
- Download the cleaned file and read the verification line.
The file is uploaded to 1CLIK only for this job, processed in an isolated temporary folder and deleted automatically (results expire after 30 minutes).
FAQ
Will cleaning damage the document?
Pages and their content are kept. Removing form values empties typed answers, and removing the structure tree can reduce accessibility for screen readers, which is why those options belong to Deep cleaning.
Are hidden layers removed?
Hidden layers are reported so you can review them. Deleting them could remove content that some viewers show, so they are not removed automatically.
Can I clean a password-protected file?
Only with its correct password, typed by you. Protection is kept on the result.
Is this the same as redaction?
No. Sanitizing removes hidden data around the pages. Redaction removes visible content on the pages.