How to Check PDF Metadata, Page Count, Encryption Online

A vendor sends a 500-page PDF and you need to know up-front whether it's text-searchable or just scanned images. A government form claims to be unencrypted but Acrobat won't let you edit it. Inspecting metadata before processing saves false-start time.

When you actually need Inspect PDF

Pre-processing checks before merge or convert, debugging why a tool refuses to open a file, verifying a PDF's source via creator metadata, checking whether OCR is needed (text-vs-image check).

How to inspect pdf, step by step

Open the tool

Go to convertpdfgo.com/inspect. No account, no email, no installation.

Drop the PDF in

Drag the file onto the upload area or click to pick. Files up to 30 MB go through without a queue. Encrypted in transit (TLS 1.3), encrypted at rest, deleted within one hour.

Configure your run

Nothing to configure — inspect runs instantly and returns metadata.

Download

The output is a clean PDF — open in any reader.

Common problems and how to avoid them

Empty title/author fields

Many tools (Word, browsers) generate PDFs with empty metadata. Use Edit Metadata to fill them in.

Encryption flag is on but I never set it

Some readers add metadata-only encryption (no password needed to open). Re-save in Adobe Reader to clear it.

Page count differs from what I expected

Hidden pages and deleted-but-not-removed objects can show in count vs visible pages. Re-export from the source tool.

A short word on privacy

Three things to know. One: files go over TLS 1.3. Two: files are encrypted at rest while we process them, then deleted automatically within one hour. Three: we don't look at your files or train on them.

How we compare to other free tools

Feature	convertpdfgo	Smallpdf	iLovePDF
Sign-up	None	After 2/day	Optional
Watermark	None	None	None
Auto-delete	1 hour	Vague	2 hours

Frequently asked questions

Does it modify the PDF?

No — inspect is read-only. The original file is not changed in any way.

Can I check encryption status without unlocking?

Yes — inspect surfaces encryption status without needing the password.

Are my files private?

Files are encrypted in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest, then auto-deleted within one hour.

Will it work on protected PDFs?

Not directly — unlock the PDF first with our Unlock PDF tool if you know the password.

Is there a usage limit?

No. Free, no daily cap, no sign-up wall, no watermark.

How long does it take?

About 1-3 seconds for most files. Larger or image-heavy PDFs can take up to 30 seconds.

What's the file size limit?

30 MB as a guest, 50 MB when signed in.

What to do next

Now you can Edit Metadata, Detect Blank Pages, or Compress PDF. All free.

Or browse our full list of 49 free PDF tools.