How to remove location and EXIF data from photos
Updated 2026 · 6 min read
A photograph is not just pixels. Almost every camera and phone writes a block of invisible data into the file — the exact GPS coordinates where it was taken, the device model, the date and time, exposure settings, and sometimes a device serial number.
Post the original file publicly and you may have published your home address in a form anyone can read with free software. This is not theoretical: it is how several public figures have accidentally revealed where they live.
What is actually hidden in your photos
| Field | What it reveals | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| GPS coordinates | Latitude and longitude, often accurate to a few metres | High — home, school, workplace |
| Date and time | When the photo was taken, with the device's timezone | Medium — reveals routines and absences |
| Camera make and model | Device, lens, sometimes firmware | Low, but useful for profiling |
| Device serial number | A unique hardware identifier in some files | Medium — links photos across accounts |
| Software and edit history | Which editor was used | Low |
This data lives in a container called EXIF, alongside two related standards: IPTC, which often holds captions and copyright, and XMP, used by Adobe products. Together they are what people mean by "photo metadata".
Who strips it, and who does not
Most large social platforms remove EXIF on upload — Instagram, Facebook, X and WhatsApp all re-encode images and discard location data. That is helpful, but it is not a reason to stop thinking about it, because the exceptions are exactly the places people share sensitive documents:
- Email attachments — the original file arrives intact.
- Cloud storage links — Dropbox, Drive and iCloud links usually serve the original.
- Forums, marketplaces and classifieds — many keep files as uploaded.
- Your own website — unless you processed the image first.
- Direct messaging apps — behaviour varies, and "original quality" sending usually keeps everything.
How to check what a photo contains
Before removing anything, look at what is there:
- Windows: right-click the file, Properties, then the Details tab. Coordinates appear under GPS.
- macOS: open in Preview, then Tools, Show Inspector, then the More Info tab.
- Linux:
exiftool photo.jpgprints every field. - Any platform: many online viewers show metadata — but remember that uploading a private photo to a stranger's website to inspect it defeats the purpose.
How to remove it
On a phone, before the photo is taken
The cleanest fix is never to write the data. On iOS: Settings, Privacy, Location Services, Camera, set to Never. On Android: camera settings, turn off location tags. You still get photos; you just stop recording where each one was taken.
You can also strip at share time. On iOS, tap Options above the share sheet and turn off Location. In Google Photos on Android, choose the option to remove location information before sending.
On a computer
Windows: right-click, Properties, Details, then "Remove Properties and Personal Information". You can purge everything or select individual fields.
macOS: Preview shows metadata but does not remove it reliably; use the Shortcuts app with a "Remove EXIF" style action, or the terminal command sips -d '*' on a copy.
In your browser, with no upload at all
This is the approach worth knowing. When an image is redrawn through the browser's canvas — which is exactly what an image compressor, resizer or converter does — the output is a freshly encoded file that contains no EXIF, IPTC or GPS data from the original.
So if you run a photo through the compressor or the converter, the result is metadata-free as a side effect. Nothing is uploaded in the process, which matters for the passport scans and ID photos where this question comes up most.
When you should keep the metadata
Metadata is not inherently bad. Photographers rely on it for copyright and attribution, some competitions require original EXIF to verify authenticity, and your own archive is more searchable with dates intact. The rule is simple: keep it on your master files, strip it from anything you distribute.
What stripping metadata does not protect you from
Removing coordinates does not remove context. A street sign, a school logo, a distinctive window view or a visible number plate can locate an image just as effectively as GPS. Metadata tools hide the file's secrets, not the picture's.
Frequently asked questions
Does compressing always remove EXIF?
Any tool that re-encodes the image through a canvas will. Some server-side "compressors" preserve metadata deliberately, so check the output rather than assuming.
Do screenshots contain metadata?
Usually very little — no GPS — but they can include the device name and software version. They also frequently capture more of your screen than you intended.
Can metadata be recovered after removal?
Not from a properly re-encoded file. The data is gone, not hidden. Keep your original if you might want it later.