How to remove excel metadata without using inspect document in excel desktop
- Step 1Confirm OOXML format — The wiper needs the
.xlsx/.xlsmZIP container (also.docx/.pptx). Legacy.xlshas nodocProps/folder. If you only have.xls, you'll need any tool that can convert to.xlsxfirst — LibreOffice on Linux does this without Excel. - Step 2Open the wiper in your browser — On Linux, ChromeOS, or any machine without Excel, open the Office Doc Property Wiper (Pro tier). No install, no plugin.
- Step 3Drop the file in — JSZip unpacks the OOXML in-browser. Nothing uploads — the unpack, the deletions, and the repack run locally, which matters on shared or sandboxed machines.
- Step 4Run the wipe — The tool deletes
docProps/core.xml,app.xml,custom.xml, the thumbnail, and any comment/person XML, then repacks.removedEntriesreports how many files came out — equivalent to Inspect Document's Document Properties + Personal Information + Comments removal. - Step 5Cover the gaps Inspect Document also handles — Inspect Document additionally clears hidden sheets, hidden rows/columns, and embedded objects. This wiper does not. If your file has those, run the Hidden Sheet Destroyer for hidden sheets and review hidden rows/columns separately.
- Step 6Verify without Excel — No Excel? Rename the cleaned
.xlsxto.zip, open it, and confirm there is nodocProps/core.xmlinside. On any OS, an absentcore.xmlmeans the Author/Last Modified By metadata is gone.
Wiper vs. Excel Inspect Document — feature map
Inspect Document is a multi-category cleaner; this wiper covers the document-property and comment categories without needing Excel. Other categories need separate tools.
| Inspect Document category | This wiper | If not, use |
|---|---|---|
| Document Properties and Personal Information | Yes — deletes core/app/custom.xml | — |
| Comments, Notes, Ink Annotations | Comments/notes: yes | Comment & Note Purger |
| Hidden Worksheets | No | Hidden Sheet Destroyer |
| Hidden Rows and Columns | No | Unhide and clear in a spreadsheet app |
| Custom XML Data | Yes — custom.xml deleted | — |
| External links / data connections | No | External Link Auditor |
| Needs Excel for Desktop | No — any browser | Inspect Document requires it |
Platform support
Where each option for removing Excel metadata is actually available. The browser wiper is the only one that works everywhere.
| Platform | Inspect Document | This wiper |
|---|---|---|
| Windows + Excel Desktop | Yes | Yes |
| Mac + Excel Desktop | Yes | Yes |
| Linux (no Excel) | No | Yes (browser) |
| ChromeOS | No | Yes (browser) |
| Excel for the web | No (not exposed) | Yes (browser) |
| Headless CI/CD server | No | Yes (via @jadapps runner) |
Cookbook
Cross-platform cases where Inspect Document isn't available, with the verification step that needs no Excel.
Clean an .xlsx on Linux with no Excel
A data engineer on Ubuntu received a workbook to publish. There is no Excel and no Inspect Document. The browser wiper removes the properties in seconds.
Before (unzip docProps/core.xml on Linux): $ unzip -p report.xlsx docProps/core.xml <dc:creator>j.smith@vendor.com</dc:creator> Wipe in browser → download report-clean.xlsx Verify (no Excel needed): $ unzip -l report-clean.xlsx | grep docProps/core.xml (no output → core.xml is gone)
Verify the wipe by treating .xlsx as a .zip
On any OS without Excel, you can confirm the result by renaming to .zip and inspecting. An absent core.xml proves the Author metadata is removed.
macOS / ChromeOS / Windows: 1. copy report-clean.xlsx → report-clean.zip 2. open the zip 3. browse to docProps/ 4. core.xml absent, app.xml absent → wipe confirmed
What Inspect Document does that this doesn't
A file with a hidden 'scratch' worksheet. The wiper removes properties but leaves the hidden sheet — exactly the gap to be aware of when replacing Inspect Document.
File: forecast.xlsx (has hidden sheet 'scratch') Wiper result: docProps removed ✓ hidden sheet 'scratch' STILL PRESENT ✗ To match Inspect Document fully: + run Hidden Sheet Destroyer to remove 'scratch' + review hidden rows/columns manually
Headless removal in a CI step
A nightly job builds .xlsx reports on a Linux runner with no Excel. The @jadapps runner strips properties as a pipeline step before the file is published.
# CI step (Linux runner, no Excel) jadapps-runner run office-doc-property-wiper \ --in build/report-$DATE.xlsx \ --out dist/report-$DATE.xlsx # removedEntries reported in the job output # file published with no author/company metadata
Same approach across Office formats
Because docProps is shared by OOXML, the same wiper cleans the .docx and .pptx your no-Excel toolchain also produces.
report.xlsx → docProps/core.xml, app.xml removed brief.docx → docProps/core.xml, app.xml, word/people.xml removed deck.pptx → docProps/core.xml, ppt/commentAuthors.xml removed One tool, no Office install on any of the three.
Edge cases and what actually happens
It does not remove hidden worksheets
Out of scopeInspect Document removes hidden worksheets; this wiper does not — hidden sheets are worksheet content (xl/worksheets/ + a hidden flag in xl/workbook.xml), not document properties. Use the Hidden Sheet Destroyer to remove them, which is the closest no-Excel equivalent for that category.
It does not clear hidden rows or columns
Out of scopeHidden rows and columns still contain their data after a wipe — only properties are removed. Without Excel, unhide and delete them in a spreadsheet app such as LibreOffice Calc or Google Sheets. The wiper deliberately never edits cell ranges.
Legacy .xls file, no Excel to convert it
Unsupported format.xls is binary BIFF8 with no docProps/ folder, so the ZIP-based wiper can't act on it. Without Excel, convert to .xlsx first using LibreOffice (libreoffice --convert-to xlsx file.xls) or Google Sheets, then wipe the converted copy.
Encrypted .xlsx
Cannot processA password-encrypted workbook has an unreadable OOXML ZIP, so JSZip cannot reach docProps/ to delete it. You need to decrypt it first, which requires the password and an app that can open it. The wiper fails on load for encrypted input.
Comments and notes
RemovedComments, notes, and their author names live in xl/comments*.xml, xl/threadedComments/, and xl/persons/, all of which the wiper removes — matching Inspect Document's Comments category. To remove only comments while keeping properties, use the Comment & Note Purger.
Data connections / external links
Not removedExternal data connections and links (xl/connections.xml, xl/externalLinks/) are not document properties and are left intact, unlike Inspect Document's data-connection category. Audit and break them with the External Link Auditor.
File above the Pro size cap
413-style rejectPro tier caps each file at 50 MB; the file is rejected before processing if larger. Pro-media raises it to 200 MB, Developer to 500 MB. Because everything runs in your browser, the real ceiling for very large files is your machine's available memory.
Verifying without Excel installed
SupportedNo Excel is needed to confirm the wipe: rename the cleaned .xlsx to .zip and open it, or run unzip -l file.xlsx on Linux/Mac. An absent docProps/core.xml proves the Author metadata is gone — a check that works on any OS.
Frequently asked questions
Does this do everything Excel's Inspect Document does?
No — it covers the Document Properties, Personal Information, Custom XML, and Comments categories, which is the metadata most people run Inspect Document for. It does not remove hidden worksheets, hidden rows/columns, ink, or embedded objects. For hidden sheets use the Hidden Sheet Destroyer; for external connections use the External Link Auditor.
Can I use it on Linux or ChromeOS where there's no Excel?
Yes — that's the main use case. The wiper runs entirely in your browser on Linux, ChromeOS, Windows, Mac, or any device with a modern browser. There is no Office install, plugin, or extension to add. Inspect Document, by contrast, only exists in Excel for Desktop on Windows and Mac.
How is this different from clicking through Inspect Document?
For the property-removal step the result is equivalent — both delete the Author, Company, and custom properties. The differences: this needs no Excel install, it can batch multiple files at once (Inspect Document is one file at a time), and it can run headless in a pipeline. The trade-off is that Inspect Document also cleans hidden content this tool does not.
How do I verify the metadata is gone without Excel?
Rename the cleaned .xlsx to .zip and open it — confirm there is no docProps/core.xml inside. On Linux or Mac, unzip -l file.xlsx | grep docProps does the same from the terminal. An absent core.xml means the Author and Last Modified By metadata is removed.
Does it work on .docx and .pptx too?
Yes. The Office Doc Property Wiper accepts .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx because all three share the same docProps/ structure inside their OOXML ZIP. It removes the equivalent property files (and, for Word, word/people.xml; for PowerPoint, ppt/commentAuthors.xml).
Is the file uploaded to a server to be cleaned?
No. JSZip unpacks, deletes the property files, and repacks the workbook in your browser. This is especially relevant on shared or sandboxed machines where you don't want a confidential file leaving the device. A local audit-log entry with no content is recorded for your dashboard.
Can I run this in a CI/CD pipeline without Excel on the runner?
Yes. Pair the @jadapps local runner and dispatch the office-doc-property-wiper job from your build script — it processes the file locally on the runner, so no Excel and no upload are needed. A common pattern is stripping metadata from generated .xlsx reports before publishing them.
What about a .xls file when I don't have Excel to convert it?
Legacy .xls is binary BIFF8 with no docProps/ folder, so it can't be wiped directly. Convert it to .xlsx first without Excel — LibreOffice (libreoffice --convert-to xlsx file.xls) or uploading to Google Sheets both work — then wipe the converted copy.
Will it remove data I actually want to keep?
No. The wiper only deletes files under docProps/ and the comment/person XML. It never touches worksheet content, so cell values, formulas, charts, and formatting are preserved exactly. There is no risk of accidentally removing data, unlike a misclick in a manual wizard.
What tier do I need?
Pro. The Core Metadata Wiper runs through the Office Doc Property Wiper, which requires Pro tier — files up to 50 MB and 5 per batch. Pro-media (200 MB / 20) and Developer (500 MB / unlimited) raise the limits.
Does Inspect Document remove more hidden data than this?
Yes — Inspect Document also removes hidden rows/columns, hidden worksheets, embedded objects, and ink annotations, which this tool does not. Think of this wiper as the property-and-comment portion of Inspect Document, available where Excel isn't. Pair it with the Hidden Sheet Destroyer to cover hidden sheets.
Can I clean several files at once on a non-Windows machine?
Yes. The wiper batches multiple files in one drop — Pro allows 5, Pro-media 20, Developer unlimited — across .xlsx, .docx, and .pptx. That makes it faster than running Inspect Document file-by-file even on machines that do have Excel.
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.