About the Remove Photo Metadata (EXIF/GPS)
Remove hidden information from photos before you share them: the GPS location where a photo was taken, the phone or camera model, the date and time, editing software and other details stored inside the file.
The tool shows what it found in each photo and what it removed. Photos are cleaned on your device and never uploaded; you can clean up to 50 at a time.
How it works
Phones and cameras store metadata in standard blocks inside the image file: EXIF (camera settings, date, GPS position), XMP and IPTC (descriptions, authors, keywords) and comments. Many phones also attach preview images, depth maps or a short video after the main picture.
The tool removes those blocks by editing the file's structure directly. The picture itself is copied byte for byte, so there's no re-compression and no loss of quality, and the cleaned file is usually slightly smaller. Colour profiles are kept so colours look the same.
Phones often store photos sideways with a tag saying how to rotate them. By default that single rotation tag is kept so the photo still shows the right way up; nothing else is.
Assumptions and limits
- Supported formats are JPEG, PNG and WebP. HEIC photos from iPhones aren't supported yet; set the camera to 'Most Compatible' or export as JPEG first.
- Removing metadata doesn't remove what's visible in the picture, such as street signs, faces or reflections.
- Some sites strip metadata when you upload; others keep it, and email attachments and file transfers usually keep it. Cleaning first means you don't have to rely on them.
Worked examples
Selling something online
A photo taken at home can carry your home's exact GPS coordinates. After cleaning, the report shows the location under 'found' and lists EXIF as removed; the new file contains no coordinates.
Sharing photos from a trip
Select a whole batch: the tool cleans each one and downloads them together in a ZIP, with '-clean' added to the names.
A phone 'motion photo'
Some phones save a short video inside the JPEG after the picture. The tool removes it along with the metadata and reports how many bytes were dropped.
What photo metadata can reveal
| Information | Where it's stored | Removed |
|---|---|---|
| Exact location (latitude, longitude, altitude) | EXIF GPS | Yes |
| Phone or camera make, model and serial number | EXIF | Yes |
| Date and time taken | EXIF | Yes |
| Editing software and history | EXIF, XMP | Yes |
| Author, captions, keywords | XMP, IPTC, PNG text | Yes |
| Embedded previews, depth maps, motion-photo video | APP segments, data after the image | Yes |
| Rotation (which way is up) | EXIF Orientation | Kept by default (only this tag) |
| Colour profile | ICC profile | Kept |
How to use the Remove Photo Metadata (EXIF/GPS)
- Choose photos. JPEG, PNG or WebP, up to 50 at once.
- Remove metadata. Keep the rotation setting on unless you need it gone too.
- Check the report and download. One photo downloads directly; several come in a ZIP.
Frequently asked questions
Does removing EXIF data reduce photo quality?
No. The tool removes the metadata blocks and copies the image data unchanged, without re-compressing. The cleaned photo looks identical and is usually a little smaller because the metadata is gone.
Why keep the orientation?
Phones often save the picture sideways and add a tag saying to rotate it. Without that tag the photo would appear turned on its side. It reveals nothing about you; untick the option to remove it too.
Do social media sites remove metadata anyway?
Some do on upload, but not all, and not every way of sharing goes through them: email, cloud links and messaging apps can keep the original file. Cleaning the photo yourself works whatever happens next.
Can I remove metadata from HEIC iPhone photos?
Not yet. On iPhone, choose Settings › Camera › Formats › Most Compatible to take JPEG photos, or share the photo in a way that converts it to JPEG, then clean that file here.
Are my photos uploaded?
No. The photos are read and cleaned by your browser, on your device. Nothing is sent to a server, which matters when the point is to keep private details private.
Sources
This tool runs entirely in your browser. What you enter or upload stays on your device and is never sent to our servers.