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LibreOffice and OpenOffice save their documents as OpenDocument files: ODT for text, ODS for spreadsheets and ODP for presentations. Inside each is a meta.xml part that records the author, the original author, the program and its version, the creation and edit dates, how long the file was edited, the template it was made from and any custom fields, plus a thumbnail of the first page. This tool deletes those records and leaves the content as it was. Drop an .odt, .ods or .odp file in the box above to see what it holds.
What an OpenDocument file remembers
| Where | What is stored | Example |
|---|---|---|
| meta.xml | Author, original author, title, subject, keywords, description, creation and edit dates, editing cycles and duration | Author “J. Alvarez”, created 2024-03-02, 18 editing cycles |
| Generator | The program and version that wrote the file | LibreOffice/7.6.2.1 on Linux |
| Template path | Where the template the file was made from is stored | file:///home/jalvarez/Templates/letter.ott |
| Custom fields | User-defined properties | Client = Northwind |
| Thumbnail | A small picture of the first page | A readable preview |
| Embedded photos | Pictures keep their own EXIF block | A phone photo with GPS |
Where the details come from
- The user name set in Tools, Options, User Data.
- Templates carry their path and author.
- Pictures keep their camera and location data.
- The program writes its own name and version.
What the remover deletes, and what it keeps
| Removed | Kept |
|---|---|
| Author, original author, title, subject, keywords, description | All text, tables, formulas and formatting |
| Created, modified and printed dates, printed-by name | Slides, charts and drawings |
| Generator name and version | Pictures (without their metadata) |
| Editing cycles and total editing time | Comments and tracked changes (reported, not deleted) |
| Template path | |
| Custom fields | |
| Preview thumbnail | |
| EXIF, GPS and camera data in embedded pictures |
How to remove metadata from an OpenDocument file
- Drop your OpenDocument files in the box at the top of the page, or choose them from your device. You can add many files at once.
- Press the clean button. Each file shows what was found and removed.
- Read the report. Anything that could still identify someone is listed as remaining, so nothing is hidden from you.
- Download the clean copy. One file downloads as it is; several come as one ZIP.
Is it safe to clean an OpenDocument file online?
Yes. OpenDocument files are cleaned entirely in your browser: the file is read, rewritten and handed back as a download without leaving your device. You can confirm it by opening the network tab of your browser while you clean a file, where no upload appears. If you use the API or the MCP server, the file is processed on our server, held only for the length of the request, and deleted within minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Does it work on .fodt and .fods files?
No. Those are flat XML versions. This tool handles the zipped ODT, ODS and ODP formats.
Will LibreOffice still open the file?
Yes. The package structure is kept, and the mimetype entry stays first and uncompressed as the format requires.
Does it remove the author of tracked changes?
Tracked changes and comments are content, so they are reported instead of deleted.
Can I clean OpenDocument files with the API?
Yes. Send the file to POST /api/v1/clean/document with your API key and its name in the X-Filename header. It returns the clean file and reports what was removed in the response headers. The MCP server does the same for AI assistants.
How many files can I clean?
Guests and free accounts have a daily allowance and a file-size limit, shown above the drop box. Paid plans raise both. Documents, images, PDFs and audio share one daily allowance.