Remove EXIF Data
This free EXIF remover shows what each photo reveals, such as the GPS location, the camera's serial number, names and a hidden thumbnail, then deletes it without re-saving the image, so the quality stays identical. It works on JPG, PNG, WebP and HEIC photos right in your browser, and nothing is uploaded.
Remove
All hidden information goes. Only what the photo needs to display correctly stays: its rotation and its color profile.
How do you delete EXIF data without re-saving the photo?
By cutting the metadata out of the file and copying the image bytes exactly as they were. This tool shows you everything a photo reveals before you share it, then removes it without touching the picture itself.
- See what's inside first. Each photo gets a report: the GPS location (with a link to the spot on a map), names of the owner, artist or people tagged, the camera and lens serial numbers, dates, editing software, AI generation prompts, and the hidden thumbnail, shown on screen.
- Nothing is re-saved. The metadata is cut out and the image bytes are copied exactly, so quality stays identical. We checked it on the sample photo: after removing 34 hidden fields, the 78 KB file became 66 KB and the compressed image data inside it was byte-for-byte the same as before.
- Never sideways, same colors. If the photo needs its rotation tag to display upright, that one tag stays. The color profile stays too.
- HEIC stays HEIC. iPhone photos are cleaned inside the file, without converting them to JPG.
- Everything, only the location, or your pick. Keep the date and camera and drop the GPS, or remove serial numbers and names only.
- Batch and ZIP, same file names, nothing uploaded.
How do you remove the location from a photo?
- Drop one or more photos on the page, or press Try a sample photo.
- Read what each one reveals. High risk items are marked in red.
- Choose Everything, Only the location (the date and camera stay, the GPS position goes), or Let me choose.
- Download each clean photo, or Download all (.zip).
What can a photo reveal about you?
| Information | Where it hides | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| GPS location | EXIF, XMP | Points to your home, your kid's school, your routine |
| Serial number | EXIF | Links photos from different accounts to one camera |
| Names | EXIF, XMP, IPTC | Owner, copyright, people tagged by face |
| Hidden thumbnail | EXIF | May show the photo before a crop or blur |
| Dates | EXIF, XMP | When you were somewhere, to the second |
| AI prompts | PNG text, XMP | The full prompt and settings used to generate an image |
The hidden thumbnail is the one people forget. Try the sample: the photo shows a cup of coffee, and the thumbnail inside it still shows the house number that was cropped out.
Do social networks remove metadata for you?
Partly. Instagram, Facebook and X strip it from the copy other people download, but they can read it when you upload. Email attachments, cloud storage links, marketplace listings, and messaging apps sending a photo as a file or document pass the original file along untouched. Cleaning it yourself is the only way to be sure.
What doesn't removing EXIF protect against?
- It does not hide what is visible. A face, a license plate or a street sign in the picture still gives the place away. Blur them before sharing.
- It does not edit metadata. It removes information; it does not add a copyright line or change a date.
- It does not clean videos or PDFs, only JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC and AVIF photos.
- It cannot recall a photo already shared or data a platform already read.
The photo itself is read and cleaned inside your browser tab and never uploaded, and closing the tab clears it. The only link that leaves the page is See it on a map, and only when you click it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I remove EXIF data from a photo?
Drop the photo on this page. It lists everything the file reveals, from the GPS location to the camera serial number, and removes it right away. Choose Everything, Only the location, or pick categories yourself, then download the clean copy with the same file name. Several photos download together as one ZIP.
Does removing metadata reduce photo quality?
Not here. The metadata is cut out of the file and the image data is copied byte for byte, so the photo is never decoded or compressed again. The page checks this after cleaning and says so. Many online removers re-save JPGs through the browser canvas, which quietly lowers the quality.
How do I remove the location from a photo but keep the date?
Choose Only the location. It deletes the GPS coordinates, altitude and place names such as city and country, and keeps the date taken, the camera and the rest. With Let me choose you can also keep the location and remove names and serial numbers instead, or any other combination.
What is a hidden EXIF thumbnail?
Many cameras and editors store a small preview image inside the photo file. Some editors do not update it after a crop or a blur, so the thumbnail can still show the original scene. This tool displays the thumbnail it finds, warns when its framing differs from the photo, and removes it.
Can a photo be traced back to my camera?
Yes, when the file includes the camera or lens serial number. Every photo from that device carries the same number, so pictures posted on different accounts can be linked to one camera. This remover shows the serial numbers it finds and deletes them with the device details.
Do Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp remove photo metadata?
Instagram, Facebook and X remove it from the copy other people see, though the platform itself can read it on upload. Email attachments, cloud storage links, marketplace listings and messaging apps sending a photo as a file or document keep it. Cleaning before sharing covers every case.
Will my photo be sideways after removing EXIF?
No. Phones often save a photo sideways and add a tag telling apps how to rotate it. Removing that tag is why photos cleaned elsewhere can appear sideways. This tool keeps only the rotation tag when the photo needs it, and keeps the color profile, so the photo looks exactly as before.
Can I remove metadata from HEIC photos without converting them?
Yes. The iPhone HEIC file is edited in place: the location, device and other details are erased inside the file and the photo stays a HEIC, the same size and quality. Other online removers usually convert HEIC to JPG or PNG to clean it, which changes the file and lowers the quality.
How can I check if a photo has location data?
Drop it on this page. If the photo has GPS coordinates, the Location card shows them with a link to see the spot on a map, along with any city or country names stored as text. Nothing is uploaded, so checking a private photo is safe. If nothing is found, the page says the photo is clean.
What does removing metadata not protect against?
It only removes hidden information. Anything visible in the picture, such as a face, a house number, a license plate or a landmark, still identifies the place or person. Cover those before sharing. It also cannot remove a photo that was already shared, or data a platform read before you cleaned it.
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Built and tested by the ÆON Toolhub team. Last updated: October 19, 2026. How we test our tools