Sanitize PDF

Ten things, each with its own checkbox: form fields are flattened, and metadata, annotations, JavaScript, embedded files, layers, links, the structure tree, MarkInfo, and optionally embedded fonts are stripped. Everything except font removal is checked by default.

The page content itself is untouched, but some interactive parts become static. Form fields turn into plain text, hyperlinks stop being clickable, and comments, highlights, and sticky notes disappear, so check the result before sending it.

Usually not. It deletes the font programs the PDF relies on, and if the reader can't substitute a matching font the text can render incorrectly or not at all. Leave it unchecked unless you have a specific reason and have tested the result.

Remove Metadata clears the Info dictionary, the XMP metadata stream, the document ID, and application-specific PieceInfo, so the author, title, dates, and producing software are gone. If that's all you need, Remove Metadata does only this step.

Remove JavaScript deletes the document's script tree, its open action, and the automatic actions attached to the document, pages, annotations, and form fields. That covers the usual places a PDF can hide code that runs on open, print, or field changes.

No. It strips hidden and interactive data around the content, not the visible words or images, so anything you can read on the page is still there. If you need the page content reduced to a flat picture with no selectable text underneath, use Rasterize PDF.

You'll be asked for the password after upload. The sanitized copy is written without encryption, so if the document should stay protected, run it through Protect PDF afterward.

The file is parsed as data in your browser and never uploaded, and the tool doesn't execute any script inside it. Keep the original in case a stripped element turns out to be needed, since sanitizing can't be undone from the output.