How To Set Metadata in a PDF

Today’s blog post explains how to set PDF metadata. Namely the title, keywords, subject, author, and language of a document. Metadata provides integral information to document users, including who created the file and whether it was created or modified before or after a cutoff date.

Video Guide

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Step 1: Access file properties

The first step is to select File > Properties

File properties

Step 2: Set the PDF metadata

On the description tab set the metadata.

I like to use the first H1 in the document as the Title. The author should be set to the organization or person who is organizing the document. The subject should be a brief overview of what the document is. You might use a factsheet, an interview, an instructional guide. The keywords should contain unique words that appear in this document.

set the meta data

Step 3: Set the language

Select the Advanced tab and validate the correct language. Typically it will be English or EN, but make sure you set this for the primary language.

set the language

Step 4: Go on to make your PDF fully accessible!

Download the Free Section 508 Checklist for PDF Accessibility:

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  1. […] Missing Title Metadata: The document lacks title metadata, resulting in accessibility checker failures. Solution: Add a descriptive title metadata using Adobe Acrobat’s document properties. Include relevant information such as document title, author, and subject to improve document accessibility and organization. […]

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