How to excel app metadata wiper vs inspect document: which clears more properties?
- Step 1Decide your goal — Need broad removal (comments, hidden sheets, ink)? Start with Inspect Document. Need reliable, repeatable property blanking and a neutral version string? Use this wiper. For maximum coverage, do both.
- Step 2Run Document Inspector in Excel (optional, first) — File → Info → Check for Issues → Inspect Document → tick the categories → Remove All. This handles comments, hidden content and many properties at once.
- Step 3Drop the file onto the wiper — Upload the (post-Inspect)
.xlsx. ExcelJS loads it locally; there are no options to set. - Step 4Run the wipe —
company,manager,creator,lastModifiedBy,description,subject,keywords,categoryare blanked, and ExcelJS writes a genericApplication/AppVersion. - Step 5Clear Title separately — Neither tool guarantees Title removal. Clear
dc:titlein Excel's File → Info, or with the office-doc-property-wiper. - Step 6Verify — Re-open Properties → Details on
<name>-clean.xlsx: Company/Manager/Author blank, version generic. Confirm Title and custom properties separately.
Field-by-field: Inspect Document vs this wiper
Inspect Document behaviour varies by Office build and the categories you select; this wiper is fixed. 'Re-stamped' = Excel may re-populate on the next save.
| Field | Inspect Document | This wiper |
|---|---|---|
Author (creator) | Removes (Personal Info) but Excel re-stamps on next save | Blanks; ExcelJS does not re-stamp on this write |
| Last modified by | Removes (Personal Info) | Blanks |
| Company | Removes (Personal Info), version-dependent | Blanks (deterministic) |
| Manager | Removes (Personal Info), version-dependent | Blanks (deterministic) |
| Description / Subject / Keywords / Category | Removes (Document Properties) | Blanks |
| Application / AppVersion | Leaves your real build | Overwrites to generic Microsoft Excel / 16.0300 |
| Title | Not removed by default | Not touched |
| Comments / notes | Removes | Not touched — use comment purger |
| Hidden / very-hidden sheets | Reports/removes (Hidden Worksheets) | Not touched — use hidden-sheet destroyer |
| custom.xml properties | Can remove (Custom XML Data) | Not touched |
When to use which
They solve different problems; the strongest result is both.
| Goal | Best choice |
|---|---|
| Strip a generic build fingerprint | This wiper (Inspect Document leaves it) |
| Remove comments, ink, hidden sheets | Inspect Document (or the dedicated sibling tools) |
| Deterministic, scriptable property blanking | This wiper |
| Clear the Title property | Excel File → Info or office-doc-property-wiper |
| Remove DMS custom properties | Inspect Document (Custom XML Data) |
| Clean on a machine without Office | This wiper (browser-only) |
Tier limits
Single file per run.
| Tier | Max file size | Row cap |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 5 MB | 10,000 |
| Pro (required) | 50 MB | 100,000 |
| Pro-media | 200 MB | 500,000 |
| Developer | 500 MB | unlimited |
Cookbook
Comparisons that show why running both gives the cleanest result.
Inspect Document leaves the build; the wiper neutralises it
After a full Document Inspector run, app.xml often still carries your exact version. The wiper normalises it.
After Inspect Document (app.xml): <Application>Microsoft Excel</Application> <AppVersion>16.0.14326.21186</AppVersion> ← real build remains After this wiper: <AppVersion>16.0300</AppVersion> ← generic
The wiper leaves comments; Inspect Document removes them
If reviewer comments matter, the wiper alone is not enough — it never touches comment parts.
After this wiper, xl/comments1.xml still present: <comment ref="B4" authorId="0">…review note…</comment> Fix: Inspect Document (Comments) OR /excel-tools/excel-comment-purger
Neither clears Title
A project codename in Title survives both tools unless you act on it directly.
Before, after Inspect Document, and after wiper: <dc:title>Project Falcon model</dc:title> ← unchanged in all three Fix: File → Info → clear Title, or /security-tools/office-doc-property-wiper
Inspect Document re-stamp vs deterministic blank
Excel may re-add the author on the next save after Inspect Document. The wiper's output is written without re-stamping.
Inspect Document removes author → you edit & save in Excel → Excel re-stamps <dc:creator>your.name</dc:creator> This wiper writes the file with <dc:creator></dc:creator> and does not re-open it in Excel, so it stays blank until you next edit it.
Broad-then-precise chain
The recommended order for the most complete strip.
1. Excel → Inspect Document (comments, hidden, custom XML) 2. excel-app-metadata-wiper (deterministic properties + version) 3. clear Title (office-doc-property-wiper) 4. /excel-tools/excel-hidden-sheet-destroyer (if any remain) Result: properties, version, comments and hidden data gone.
Edge cases and what actually happens
Inspect Document removed Company — do I still need the wiper?
DependsIf Inspect Document cleared Company on your Office build, the wiper still adds value by normalising the AppVersion build string (which Inspect leaves) and by writing a file that is not re-stamped on save. Running both is belt-and-braces.
Excel re-stamps author after Inspect Document
ExpectedIf you Inspect, then edit and save in Excel, Excel re-adds your author name. Run this wiper last, after all Excel edits, so the blanked author actually ships.
Title survives both tools
PreservedNeither Document Inspector (by default) nor this wiper clears dc:title. Clear it explicitly in Excel or with office-doc-property-wiper.
Custom XML data only Inspect Document handles
By designDMS-injected custom.xml properties are removable via Inspect Document's 'Custom XML Data' category but are out of scope for this wiper. Use Inspect Document for those.
Comments and hidden sheets remain after the wiper
PreservedThe wiper only edits document properties. For comments use excel-comment-purger; for hidden sheets use excel-hidden-sheet-destroyer; or let Inspect Document handle both.
AppVersion still populated after the wiper
By designThe wiper does not blank AppVersion; ExcelJS sets it to 16.0300. That removes your real build fingerprint while keeping a valid app.xml. Inspect Document does not change this field at all.
No Office installed on the machine
SupportedDocument Inspector requires Excel; this wiper runs in the browser via ExcelJS, so you can clean properties on a machine without Office. For Title/custom.xml you would still need another method.
Encrypted workbook
failsAn open-password-encrypted file cannot be parsed by ExcelJS and the wiper fails. Inspect Document can also not run until you open it with the password. Decrypt in Excel first.
Very large workbook over the tier cap
rejectedExcelJS loads the whole file into memory, so over-cap files are rejected (Pro 50 MB). Inspect Document handles large files natively in Excel — for very large models, do property removal in Excel and skip the browser tool.
Macro-enabled .xlsm comparison
ExpectedThe wiper outputs .xlsx and does not reliably carry macros forward. Inspect Document preserves the .xlsm container. If you need macros kept, use Inspect Document; if you want them gone, the wiper's drop plus excel-vba-macro-stripper is cleaner.
Frequently asked questions
Does Inspect Document remove the Company field?
It can — Company falls under 'Document Properties and Personal Information' — but whether it is removed depends on your Office build and the categories you tick. This wiper blanks Company deterministically every run.
Which tool removes the Excel version number?
This wiper effectively does, by overwriting your real AppVersion with the generic 16.0300. Inspect Document leaves the Application/AppVersion build string in place.
What is the AppVersion field?
It stores the application version that wrote the file, e.g. 16.0.14326.21186 for a specific Office build. After this wiper it reads the generic 16.0300.
Is it safe to run both Inspect Document and this wiper?
Yes — they are complementary. Run Inspect Document first for broad removal (comments, hidden data, custom XML), then this wiper for deterministic property blanking and version normalisation.
Does either tool clear the Title?
Not automatically. Inspect Document does not remove Title by default, and this wiper does not touch it. Clear dc:title in Excel or with the office-doc-property-wiper.
Does this wiper remove comments and hidden sheets like Inspect Document?
No. It only edits document properties. Use excel-comment-purger and excel-hidden-sheet-destroyer, or Inspect Document, for those.
Why might Inspect Document's removal 'come back'?
If you Inspect, then edit and save in Excel, Excel can re-stamp the author. Running this wiper after all edits writes the file without re-stamping, so the blanked fields ship.
Can I use this wiper without Excel installed?
Yes — it runs in the browser via ExcelJS. Inspect Document requires Excel.
Does the wiper change my cell data?
No. Only the listed document properties change; cells, formulas, formats and charts are round-tripped intact.
What about custom (DMS) properties?
Out of scope for this wiper — it does not read or remove custom.xml. Use Inspect Document's 'Custom XML Data' category for those.
What output does the wiper produce?
A binary .xlsx named <original>-clean.xlsx for download, with a duration and change-count in the result panel.
Which is faster for a single file?
For one file already open in Excel, Inspect Document is a few clicks. For repeatable, scriptable, no-Office property blanking — or to neutralise the version string — the wiper wins.
Privacy first
Every JAD Excel tool runs entirely in your browser using SheetJS and ExcelJS. Your spreadsheets, formulas, and data never leave your device — verified by zero outbound network requests during processing.