PDF & Documents
Remove metadata from a Word, Excel or PowerPoint file
Want it done now without an account? Word, Excel and PowerPoint can remove it themselves for free (steps below). Need proof of what was removed? Upload the file here: the scan is free, and the cleaned copy with its removal log costs 1 credit.
or drop it here
Scan free with a free account · cleaned copy 1 credit
Free, no account, no upload
Remove it in Word itself
- Save a copy of the document and open the copy.
- Go to File → Info → Check for Issues → Inspect Document and click Inspect.
- Click Remove All next to Comments, Revisions and Versions and next to Document Properties and Personal Information, then save.
Excel and PowerPoint have the same Document Inspector under File → Info. On a Mac the menus are named differently. Word does not give you a record of what it removed. What the upload adds
- Scan: freeWith a free account (confirmed email). You see every author field, comment and revision found, plus the parts that would stay.
- Download: 1 creditUsed only when you download. 20 credits cost €6.99 and never expire; Pro includes 40 a month.
A failed job uses no credit. See all prices
Found by the free scan
docProps/core.xmlCreator: Jamie ExampleRemoveddocProps/core.xmlLast modified by: Jamie ExampleRemovedword/comments.xmlComment: Draft price noteRemovedword/embeddings/Embedded objectKept, named in log
In the download · 1 credit
- Cleaned DOCX
- Privacy inventory
- Removal log
- Before and after hashes
What the 1-credit download adds
The Inspector in Word cleans the file but keeps no record. The download here gives you the cleaned file plus the paperwork to check it.
- Cleaned Office fileSame format as your upload. Only the categories you ticked are taken out: personal metadata (creator and last-modified fields) and comments with tracked revisions.
- Privacy inventoryEvery item that was found, for example the creator name in docProps/core.xml or a comment in word/comments.xml.
- Removal logWhat was taken out, item by item, so you can check it against the inventory.
- Before and after hashesFingerprints of the original and the cleaned file, showing that the file really changed.
- List of retained partsMacros, ActiveX controls, embedded objects and custom UI parts are not removed. Each one that stays is named here.
How it works
- 1
Add the file
One DOCX, XLSX or PPTX up to 10 MB. Password-protected files are rejected.
- 2
Tick what to remove
Personal metadata, comments and revisions, or both. The file is scanned without using a credit.
- 3
Check and download
Look at what was found and the warnings. If you want the cleaned file with its log, download it for 1 credit.
Strip author details and comments from Office files
One Office file and the categories to remove
You upload one DOCX, XLSX or PPTX file with up to 64,000 extracted characters. Under Remove you tick personal metadata, such as the creator and last-modified fields, and comments with tracked revisions. Nothing outside the categories you tick is touched. Password-protected files are rejected at the start, so remove the protection in the original program first. The scan and the preview are free with an account. Downloading the cleaned file costs 1 credit, and a failed job costs nothing.
A clean copy and a record of what changed
You get the cleaned Office file, a privacy inventory of what was found and a removal log of what was taken out. Hashes, which are fingerprints of the file before and after, let you confirm that the file really changed. The cleaned file is reopened before it is delivered. Open the removal log next to the inventory and check that each item you wanted gone is listed as removed.
What the cleaner leaves in place
Macros, ActiveX controls, embedded objects and custom UI parts stay as they were. Each one that remains is named in the verification file, so you can see what was not handled. Visible text and images are not changed either. A name in the body text or a screenshot with personal data will still be there. Read the cleaned copy yourself before you share or publish it. Whether it is safe to release is your decision.
Questions before you run it
Can I remove metadata from a Word document without an account?
Yes, in Word itself: File, Info, Check for Issues, Inspect Document, then Remove All for comments and revisions and for document properties. Excel and PowerPoint have the same Inspector. It keeps no record of what it removed. The upload here adds an inventory, a removal log and hashes, and needs a free account.
Which metadata does it take out of a DOCX, XLSX or PPTX?
Only the categories ticked under Remove: personal metadata such as the creator and last-modified fields in the docProps parts, and comments together with tracked revisions. Nothing outside the selected categories is touched.
What is left in the file after cleaning?
Macros, ActiveX controls, embedded objects and custom UI parts remain as they were. Each retained part is named in the verification file so you can see what was not handled.
How can I confirm something was really removed?
The package carries a privacy inventory of what was found, a removal log of what was taken out, and hashes of the file before and after. The cleaned file is reopened before it is delivered.
Can it clean a password-protected file?
No. Encrypted Office files are rejected at the start. Remove the protection in the original application and upload the unprotected copy.
Is this enough to make a document safe to publish?
It clears the supported categories and tells you what it left behind, but visible text, images and embedded content are untouched. Read the cleaned copy before sharing it.
Do I have to pay before I see what is in my file?
No. The scan and the preview of what was found are free with an account. 1 credit is used only when you download the cleaned file and its log. A failed job uses no credit.