Foxit PDF Creator & Producer
Understanding PDF metadata that shows Foxit as the Creator or Producer — learn how Foxit Reader, PDF Editor, and SDK create and process PDF documents with fast rendering and lightweight performance.
📄 About This PDF Metadata
When you examine a PDF file's properties and see Foxit followed by a product name and version as the Producer, it indicates that the document was created or modified using Foxit software — one of the most popular alternatives to Adobe Acrobat, known for its speed and lightweight performance.
Sample PDF Metadata from Foxit:
Title: Project Proposal
Author: Marketing Team
Creator: Microsoft® Word
Producer: Foxit PDF Editor Version 13.0.0
Creation Date: 2025-01-27 11:45:00
PDF Version: 1.7
Foxit sets the Producer field to identify which Foxit product processed the PDF. The Creator field typically shows the original application (like Microsoft Word) when converting documents, or "Foxit PDF Editor" when creating PDFs directly.
PDF Creator
Shows the originating application (e.g., Microsoft Word, PowerPoint) or Foxit PDF Editor when creating new PDFs directly in Foxit.
PDF Producer
Shows Foxit PDF Editor Version [X.X], Foxit PDF Reader Version [X.X], or Foxit PDF SDK [version] depending on which product processed the PDF.
📚 What is Foxit?
Foxit Software is a multinational software company specializing in PDF document solutions. Founded in 2001 by Eugene Y. Xiong, Foxit released its first product, Foxit Reader, in 2004. The Reader quickly gained popularity as a fast, lightweight alternative to Adobe Reader, often loading in seconds with a file size under 2 MB compared to competitors that took minutes.
Company Information
| Founded: | 2001 |
| Founder: | Eugene Y. Xiong |
| Headquarters: | Fuzhou, China / Fremont, CA, USA |
| Users: | 700+ million worldwide |
| Website: | foxit.com |
Technical Details
| First Product: | Foxit Reader (2004) |
| Platforms: | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Stock: | Shanghai (SSE: 688095) |
| Standards: | PDF 2.0, PDF/A, PDF/X, PDF/E |
| Partners: | HP, Acer, ASUS, Dell, Microsoft |
Key Features:
Fast & Lightweight
Quick loading and low memory usage compared to competitors
Full PDF Editing
Create, edit, convert, sign, and secure PDF documents
Developer SDK
Integrate PDF functionality into your applications
💡 PDF Association Member
Foxit is an active member of the PDF Association and has contributed to the evolution of ISO 32000 (PDF) and ISO 19005 (PDF/A) standards. LuraTech, acquired by Foxit in 2015, was a founding member of the PDF Association.
⚙️ How Foxit Creates PDFs
Foxit creates PDF documents through various methods depending on the product used:
PDF Creation Methods:
Desktop Applications
- Print to PDF: Virtual printer from any application
- Office Integration: One-click from Word, Excel, PowerPoint
- Direct Creation: Create blank PDFs in PDF Editor
- Scan to PDF: From scanner or images
SDK & Enterprise
- Foxit PDF SDK: Programmatic PDF creation
- Batch Conversion: Multiple files at once
- Web to PDF: Convert webpages from browsers
- PDF Portfolios: Combine multiple files
Foxit was the first vendor to deliver PDF 2.0 file viewing and supports industry standards including PDF/A for archiving, PDF/X for print production, PDF/E for engineering, and PDF/UA for accessibility.
🛠️ Foxit Product Suite
Foxit offers a comprehensive range of PDF products:
Foxit PDF Reader
Free PDF viewer with annotation and basic editing capabilities.
- View, print, sign PDFs
- Add comments & annotations
- Fill forms
- Free for personal & commercial use
Foxit PDF Editor
Full-featured PDF editor (formerly PhantomPDF).
- Edit text, images, pages
- Create PDFs from any format
- OCR for scanned documents
- Advanced security & redaction
Foxit PDF SDK
Developer toolkit for integrating PDF features.
- View, annotate, edit PDFs
- Create & convert documents
- Cross-platform support
- High-performance rendering
Foxit eSign
Electronic signature solution.
- Send, sign, track documents
- Legally binding signatures
- Cloud-based workflows
Foxit PDF Mobile
PDF apps for iOS and Android.
- View & annotate on mobile
- Fill and sign forms
- Cloud integration
Foxit Admin Console
Enterprise deployment & management.
- License management
- User administration
- Policy deployment
📤 How to Use Foxit
Create PDFs using Foxit's desktop applications or SDK:
Method 1: Print to PDF (Any Application)
The Foxit PDF Printer is installed automatically with Foxit PDF Editor and allows PDF creation from any application that can print.
Method 2: Convert from Microsoft Office
Foxit integrates with Microsoft Office to provide one-click PDF creation with full formatting preservation.
Method 3: Create Directly in Foxit PDF Editor
Create PDFs from blank pages, files, scanners, clipboard, web pages, or cloud services like SharePoint and Google Drive.
View/Edit Metadata in Foxit:
The Description tab shows Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Creator, and Producer. Click on fields to edit (PDF Editor required for editing).
🔍 Understanding PDF Metadata
Foxit provides access to standard PDF metadata through File → Properties → Description:
| Metadata Field | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Properties → Description | Document title (editable) |
| Author | Properties → Description | Document author (editable) |
| Subject | Properties → Description | Document subject (editable) |
| Keywords | Properties → Description | Searchable keywords (editable) |
| Creator | Properties → Description | Application that created the original (editable) |
| Producer | Properties → Description | Shows Foxit product and version (set automatically) |
| Created | Properties → Description | Creation date and time |
| Modified | Properties → Description | Last modification date and time |
Sample Producer Values:
| Product | Producer Value |
|---|---|
| Foxit PDF Editor | Foxit PDF Editor Version 13.0.0 |
| Foxit PDF Reader | Foxit PDF Reader Version 2024.1 |
| Foxit PhantomPDF (legacy) | Foxit PhantomPDF 10.1 |
| Foxit PDF SDK | Foxit PDF SDK 8.4 |
| Foxit PDF Printer | Foxit PDF Creator Version 7.0 |
⚠️ Removing Sensitive Metadata
Foxit PDF Editor includes a "Remove Hidden Information" feature (Protect tab) that can remove metadata, comments, hidden data from previous saves, hidden layers, and overlapping objects before publishing documents.
🛠️ Troubleshooting
Common issues when using Foxit:
Foxit PDF Printer Not Showing
Cause: The Foxit PDF Printer component was not installed or has been disabled.
Solution: Reinstall Foxit PDF Editor and ensure "Foxit PDF Printer" is selected during installation. Alternatively, run the installer again and choose "Repair" to add missing components. Check Windows Settings → Printers & Scanners to verify the printer is listed.
Cannot Edit Metadata
Cause: Using Foxit PDF Reader (free) instead of Foxit PDF Editor, or the PDF has security restrictions.
Solution: Foxit PDF Reader allows viewing metadata but not editing. Upgrade to Foxit PDF Editor to edit document properties. If using PDF Editor and still can't edit, check if the document has security settings preventing modifications (File → Properties → Security tab).
PDF File Size Too Large
Cause: Images not compressed, embedded fonts, or redundant objects.
Solution: Use File → PDF Optimizer in Foxit PDF Editor to reduce file size. Options include compressing images, removing unused objects, and optimizing fonts. For scanned documents, adjust the scan resolution and use "Optimize Scanned PDF" option.
Office Plugin Not Working
Cause: Foxit Office integration add-in is disabled or conflicting with other add-ins.
Solution: In Microsoft Office, go to File → Options → Add-ins → Manage COM Add-ins → Go, and ensure "Foxit PDF Creator" is checked. If it's in the Disabled Items list, re-enable it. Restart Office applications after making changes.
Fonts Display Incorrectly
Cause: Fonts not embedded in the PDF or missing on the system.
Solution: When creating PDFs, ensure "Embed all fonts" is selected in the conversion settings. If viewing a PDF with missing fonts, Foxit will substitute with similar fonts. For best results, embed fonts when creating the PDF from the source application.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
When a PDF shows "Foxit" followed by a product name and version (like "Foxit PDF Editor Version 13.0.0") as the Producer, it means the PDF was created or modified using Foxit software. This could be Foxit PDF Reader (for basic operations), Foxit PDF Editor (for full editing), or applications built with the Foxit PDF SDK.
Yes, Foxit PDF Reader is free for both personal and commercial use. It provides PDF viewing, annotation, form filling, and basic signing capabilities. Foxit PDF Editor (formerly PhantomPDF) is a paid product with advanced editing features like OCR, page manipulation, redaction, and PDF creation from any file format.
Foxit Software was founded in 2001 by Eugene Y. Xiong. The first product, Foxit Reader, was released in 2004 and quickly gained popularity for its small file size (under 2 MB) and fast loading compared to Adobe Reader, which was criticized for slow startup times and high resource usage.
Foxit PDF Reader (free) is for viewing, annotating, and filling forms. Foxit PDF Editor (paid, formerly PhantomPDF) adds full editing capabilities including text/image editing, page manipulation, PDF creation from any format, OCR for scanned documents, redaction, and advanced security features. PDF Editor is available in Standard and Pro editions.
Foxit PhantomPDF was renamed to Foxit PDF Editor with the release of version 11.0 on May 25, 2021. The product is the same — a full-featured PDF editor — just with a new name. Older versions may still show "PhantomPDF" in the Producer metadata.
Foxit products are available for Windows (7 and later), macOS, and Linux for desktop applications. Mobile apps are available for iOS and Android. The Foxit PDF SDK supports cross-platform development including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and web applications.
Yes, Foxit Reader has been pre-installed on Windows PCs from manufacturers including HP, Acer, and ASUS. This partnership began around 2016 with Foxit Reader version 8.0, helping Foxit reach hundreds of millions of users worldwide.
🛠️ Related Tools
PDF Metadata Viewer
Free tool to view PDF metadata including Creator, Producer, and version information.
View PDF Metadata →
📝 Summary: Foxit PDF Metadata
- Foxit Software founded in 2001
- Foxit Reader first released in 2004
- Producer shows Foxit [Product] Version [X.X]
- Reader is free, Editor is paid
- 700+ million users worldwide
- Founded by Eugene Y. Xiong
- Known for fast, lightweight performance
- Supports PDF 2.0, PDF/A, PDF/X
- PhantomPDF renamed to PDF Editor (2021)
- Pre-installed on HP, Acer, ASUS PCs