Remove EXIF Data From Photos: Step-by-Step

What is EXIF data and why should you remove it?

EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) data is metadata automatically embedded in every photo you take. Per Exif Version 2.32 (CIPA DC-008-Translation-2019), the format defines tags including GPSLatitude, GPSLongitude, DateTimeOriginal, Make, Model, and BodySerialNumber. When you share a photo directly - through email, a file transfer, or uploading it somewhere - the EXIF data usually goes with it.

This matters because GPS coordinates in a photo can pinpoint your home, your workplace, your child's school, or your favorite running route. GDPR Article 4(1) names location data as personal data, and Article 9 prohibits special-category processing, biometrics included, without a lawful basis. Most people have no idea this data exists in their photos.

For a deeper dive into what EXIF data contains and how it works, see our complete guide to EXIF metadata.

When you should (and shouldn't) remove EXIF data

Remove EXIF data before sharing photos with anyone you don't fully trust. That includes posting on forums, selling items online, sharing in group chats, or uploading to websites that don't strip metadata automatically.

• Remove before: posting on social media (some platforms strip it, some don't), sending to acquaintances, uploading to public galleries, listing items on marketplaces
• Keep for: personal backup archives, professional photography workflows, photos you're organizing by location, insurance documentation

Some platforms handle this automatically, and many don't. Dropbox keeps the metadata stored inside an image and shows it alongside the file, down to the camera make and model.

To check your own photos, the free EXIF data viewer shows what each one carries, without uploading it.

How to remove EXIF data on Windows

Windows has a built-in tool for removing photo metadata. No additional software needed.

Using File Explorer (no software required)

• Right-click the photo file and select Properties
• Click the Details tab
• Click Remove Properties and Personal Information at the bottom
• Choose Create a copy with all possible properties removed to keep the original intact, or select specific fields to remove
• Click OK

This works for JPEG and TIFF files. For RAW files or batch processing, you'll need a dedicated tool.

How to remove EXIF data on Mac

Using Preview (built-in)

Mac's Preview app doesn't have a direct "remove all metadata" button, but you can use it with a quick export trick.

• Open the photo in Preview
• Go to Tools > Show Inspector (or press Cmd+I) to see the current EXIF data
• Go to File > Export
• Change the format to JPEG and save

This removes GPS data but keeps some basic camera information. For complete removal, use the Terminal method below.

Using Terminal with ExifTool

ExifTool is the gold standard for metadata manipulation. Install it via Homebrew:

brew install exiftool

Then remove all metadata from a photo:

exiftool -all= photo.jpg

Or remove just GPS data while keeping camera settings:

exiftool -gps:all= photo.jpg

For batch processing an entire folder:

exiftool -all= /path/to/folder/

How to remove EXIF data on iPhone

Turn off location data for new photos

• Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services
• Scroll to Camera and set to Never

This prevents GPS data from being added to new photos. It doesn't affect photos you've already taken.

Remove location from existing photos

• Open Photos and select the image
• Tap the info (i) button
• Tap Adjust next to the map
• Tap No Location

Strip metadata when sharing

Apple's share sheet lets you share photos without the location where they were taken. When sharing photos:

• Select photos and tap the Share button
• Tap Options at the top of the share sheet
• Turn off Location and All Photos Data
• Proceed with sharing - the sent version will have metadata stripped

How to remove EXIF data on Android

Turn off location for new photos

• Open your camera app and go to Settings
• Look for Location tags or GPS tag and turn it off

The exact setting name varies by manufacturer (Samsung, Pixel, OnePlus all label it differently).

Remove location from existing photos in Google Photos

• Open the photo in Google Photos
• Swipe up or tap the three dots > Edit
• Look for the location section and tap Remove location

If the photo is backed up to Google's servers, Google may retain the original metadata.

Which platforms strip EXIF data automatically?

Not all platforms handle metadata the same way. Here's what happens to your EXIF data when you upload photos to popular services:

Viallo is a private photo sharing platform that keeps every photo exactly as uploaded, metadata included, and reads the GPS for its location grouping (with an interactive map view). It does not strip that location from what recipients can download, so remove it first for anything you would not hand over with its coordinates. For a full breakdown of how Viallo compares to Google Photos on privacy, see our Google Photos vs Viallo comparison.

Free tools for batch EXIF removal

If you need to remove metadata from many photos at once, these free tools handle batch processing:

• ExifTool (Mac, Windows, Linux) - command-line tool, the most powerful option. Handles every image format and every metadata field.
• GIMP (Mac, Windows, Linux) - the open-source image editor has an "Export As" option where you can uncheck "Save EXIF data" before saving.
• ImageOptim (Mac) - drag-and-drop tool that strips metadata and compresses images simultaneously.
• Scrambled Exif (Android) - free, open-source app that removes all EXIF data before sharing through the Android share menu.

Avoid online EXIF removal tools that require uploading your photos to a web server. The point of removing metadata is to protect your privacy - uploading photos to an unknown website defeats that purpose.

If removing EXIF data before every share feels like too much work, consider using a sharing platform that handles it for you. Viallo's free plan includes 2 albums and 200 photos at full resolution; strip location before uploading, because Viallo keeps it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Readers who want to share photos without worrying about metadata exposure can start with Viallo's free plan - 2 albums, 200 photos, full resolution. Clean the location first; Viallo keeps what you upload.