Remove GPS Location and EXIF Data From Photos Before Sharing
When you take a photo with a phone, the camera saves more than the picture. Hidden inside the file is information about where, when and how it was taken. Most of the time you never see it, but anyone who receives the original file can read it in seconds. Before you post photos of your home, sell something online or send pictures to strangers, it is worth knowing what is in there and how to remove it.
What is EXIF data?
EXIF is the standard way cameras and phones store extra information inside JPG and other image files. It commonly includes:
- GPS coordinates of where the photo was taken, often precise enough to identify a building.
- Date and time, down to the second.
- Device details: the phone or camera model, and sometimes a serial number.
- Camera settings: exposure, focal length, flash.
- Software used to edit the picture, and sometimes an author name.
Other kinds of metadata, such as XMP and IPTC, can add captions, keywords or copyright details.
When does it matter?
- Selling items online. A photo of a sofa taken in your living room can carry your home's exact location.
- Posting pictures of children or anything that shows a routine (school, gym, workplace).
- Sending documents you photographed, where the time and place may be sensitive.
- Sharing work photos that reveal which device or software you use.
Some social networks remove location data when you upload, but many messaging apps, email, cloud links and file transfers send the original file untouched. You can't always know what happens on the other side, so removing it yourself is the safe choice.
Step 1: See what your photo contains
Open the Image Metadata Viewer and add a photo. You'll see its camera details, dates and, if present, the GPS position. It's a useful check before and after cleaning a file.
Step 2: Remove the metadata
- Open the Image Metadata Remover.
- Add one or many photos: JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, HEIC and AVIF are supported.
- Download the cleaned files.
The tool removes the metadata sections and copies the picture data unchanged, so the image looks exactly the same; there is no re-compression and no loss of quality.
Does removing metadata change orientation?
Phones often store a photo sideways and use a metadata tag to say "rotate this". If that tag is removed carelessly, a portrait photo can suddenly appear on its side. A good remover takes care of this so pictures stay the right way up. Check the result before you send it, as you would with any edit.
Stop recording location in the first place
- iPhone: Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services › Camera › Never.
- Android: open the Camera app's settings and turn off location tags (the wording differs between phone makers).
You can keep location on for personal photos, where it's handy for finding pictures later, and simply clean the files you share.
Videos carry metadata too
Phone videos also record location, date and device. Our guide on removing location from videos covers the Video Metadata Remover, which does the same for MP4 and MOV files.
Your photos never leave your device
A metadata remover that uploads your photos to a server defeats the purpose. The tools linked here run entirely in your browser: the files are cleaned on your own computer or phone and are never uploaded.
In short
- Check a photo's hidden data with the viewer.
- Remove it with the remover, no quality lost.
- Turn off camera location if you rarely need it.