How to Remove EXIF Metadata from Photos

Every digital photo you share contains hidden details like camera settings, timestamps, and GPS coordinates. While this information is great for organizing your personal library, sharing it online can expose sensitive private data.

Here is a complete, step-by-step guide on how to remove EXIF metadata from your images across all major operating systems and devices.

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Method 1: Remove Metadata Online (Fast, Free & Private)

The easiest way to clean photos without installing software is to use our browser-based Metadata Remover.

1. Open the Metadata Remover in your browser.
2. Drag and drop your image or click to browse.
3. Choose your desired output format (JPEG or PNG) and quality slider.
4. Click Strip Metadata and download the sanitized file.

Privacy Note: All processing happens entirely within your local browser sandbox—your files are never uploaded to any external server.

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Method 2: How to Remove Metadata on Windows

Windows has a built-in property scrubber that allows you to strip metadata from single or multiple files at once:

1. Locate the image file in File Explorer.
2. Right-click the file and select Properties.
3. Go to the Details tab.
4. Click the link at the bottom that says “Remove Properties and Personal Information”.
5. Select “Create a copy with all possible properties removed” or pick specific fields to clear.
6. Click OK to apply.

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Method 3: How to Remove Metadata on macOS

While macOS allows you to view EXIF data in Preview, removing it completely at the system level requires either Preview (for GPS) or Terminal (for full stripping).

Option A: Using Preview (Removes Location Only)

1. Double-click the photo to open it in Preview.
2. Click Tools in the top menu bar and select Show Inspector (or press Cmd + I).
3. Click the GPS tab (if visible) and select Remove Location Information.

Option B: Using Terminal (Full Scrubber via ExifTool)

To scrub all EXIF, XMP, and IPTC data on a Mac:

1. Open Terminal and install ExifTool: brew install exiftool
2. Run the command: exiftool -all= photo.jpg
3. This creates a clean version while preserving the original as a backup.

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Method 4: How to Strip Metadata on iOS (iPhone & iPad)

Starting with iOS 15, Apple allows you to view and adjust location tags directly within the Photos app:

1. Open the Photos app and select an image.
2. Swipe up on the photo or tap the Info button (i).
3. Tap Adjust under the map section.
4. Select No Location.

Tip: When sharing photos via AirDrop or messages, tap Options at the top of the share screen and toggle off Location to strip it before sending.

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Method 5: How to Strip Metadata on Android

Android devices allow you to manage location details through Google Photos or the native gallery app:

1. Open Google Photos and select the photo.
2. Swipe up to view image details.
3. Locate the map/location segment.
4. Tap Edit (pencil icon) or select options to remove the location coordinates.