Document Properties

View and edit metadata, initial view settings, and document statistics.

Accessing Properties

Click File → Properties or press Ctrl/Cmd + D to open the Document Properties dialog.

General Properties

Document Information

Field	Description
Title	Document title (appears in browser tabs)
Author	Document creator
Subject	Document topic or description
Keywords	Searchable keywords
Created	Original creation date
Modified	Last modification date

Editing Metadata

Open Properties

Click File → Properties

Select General Tab

The General tab shows basic document information

Edit Fields

Update the fields you want to change:

Title
Author
Subject
Keywords (comma-separated)

Save

Click OK to save changes

Setting a descriptive title improves accessibility and helps with document organization.

Initial View Settings

Control how the document opens for viewers.

Page Layout

Option	Description
Single Page	One page at a time
Single Page Continuous	Scroll through single pages
Two-Up	Two pages side by side
Two-Up Continuous	Scroll through facing pages

Page Mode

Option	What Opens
Page Only	Just the document
Bookmarks Panel	Bookmarks sidebar visible
Thumbnails Panel	Page thumbnails visible
Attachments Panel	Attachments sidebar visible
Layers Panel	Layers sidebar visible
Full Screen	Opens in full screen mode

Magnification

Option	Zoom Level
Default	Viewer’s default
Actual Size	100% zoom
Fit Page	Fit entire page
Fit Width	Fit page width
Fit Visible	Fit content area
Custom	Specific percentage (e.g., 150%)

Opening Page

Set which page displays first:

First page (default)
Specific page number
Named destination

Setting Initial View

Open Properties

Click File → Properties

Select Initial View Tab

Configure opening settings

Set Layout Options

Choose page layout and navigation panel

Set Magnification

Select zoom level for opening

Set Page

Choose the initial page

Save

Click OK to apply

Viewer Preferences

Window Options

Option	Effect
Resize window to initial page	Window matches page size
Center window on screen	Window opens centered
Open in full screen mode	Immediate full screen

User Interface Options

Option	Effect
Hide menu bar	No menu in viewers
Hide toolbars	No toolbar buttons
Hide window controls	No scroll bars, etc.

Hiding interface elements can make documents harder to navigate. Use sparingly.

Document Statistics

View detailed information about your document.

Page Information

Statistic	Description
Page count	Total number of pages
Page size	Dimensions of each page
Page rotation	Any rotation applied

Content Statistics

Statistic	Description
Word count	Total words in document
Character count	Total characters
Paragraph count	Number of paragraphs
Line count	Number of lines

File Information

Statistic	Description
File size	Size on disk
PDF version	PDF specification version
Encryption	Security status
Tagged PDF	Accessibility tagging status

Viewing Statistics

Open Properties

Click File → Properties

Select Statistics Tab

View document metrics

Refresh

Click Refresh to recalculate statistics

Custom Properties

Add your own metadata fields:

Open Properties

Click File → Properties

Select Custom Tab

View existing custom properties

Add Property

Click Add and enter:

Name (field name)
Value (field content)
Type (text, date, number)

Save

Click OK to save

Common Custom Properties

Property	Use Case
Department	Organizational tracking
Project	Project association
Status	Document status
Version	Version number
Reviewer	Assigned reviewer
Due Date	Deadline

Security Properties

View document security settings:

Property	Description
Encryption	Encryption method (if any)
Printing	Allowed/restricted
Copying	Text copying allowed
Editing	Document editing allowed
Form Filling	Form field editing allowed
Comments	Annotation allowed

To change security settings, see Password Protection.

Best Practices

Set descriptive titles: Helps with accessibility and organization
Add keywords: Improves searchability
Configure initial view: Optimize for your audience
Review before sharing: Check properties before distribution
Remove sensitive metadata: Before public distribution

Tips

Titles appear in browser tabs and bookmarks
Keywords help with document discovery
Initial view settings affect all viewers
Custom properties are searchable in some systems
Statistics help estimate reading time

Next Steps

Bookmarks - Add navigation bookmarks to your document
Attachments - Embed files within your PDF
Share Documents - Share documents with collaborators