Strip EXIF metadata before sharing photos
Phone photos often hide GPS coordinates and camera details. Remove that metadata on your device before you post, email, or send files to clients.
What leaks inside a “normal” photo?
Modern cameras and phones write EXIF (and related) metadata into JPEG and sometimes other formats. Common fields include:
- GPS latitude/longitude (home, office, school, travel spots)
- Exact capture time and time zone
- Device make/model and lens info
- Software/edit history tags
That data is useful for your own library — and risky when a photo of your kids, front door, or hotel room goes to a public gallery or an untrusted recipient.
How to strip EXIF with ITCOH
- Open the EXIF / Metadata Remover.
- Drop one image or a batch of images.
- Review the detected metadata summary where shown.
- Strip and download clean files (or a ZIP for batches).
Everything runs locally in the browser. Pair with the Image Compressor if you also need smaller files for WhatsApp or email limits, and with Image Watermark & Blur Redact if faces or ID numbers need covering.
Open EXIF Remover Compress images
When you should always strip
- Photos of home exteriors, nameplates, or school uniforms shared publicly
- Screenshots that were actually camera photos of documents
- Travel photos before posting to open social profiles
- Client deliverables where professional practice expects clean files
EXIF vs visible content
Removing metadata does not hide what is visible in the picture — street signs, reflections, badges, or whiteboard text still need cropping or redaction. Use the Image Cropper and watermark/redact tools for visible risks; use EXIF removal for hidden tags.
A quick self-check before you post
Ask three questions: Would I be comfortable publishing the exact map pin where this was taken? Does the photo show children, workplace badges, or my front door? Am I sending this to a wide audience (public post, large WhatsApp group, job portal)? If any answer is uncomfortable, strip metadata and consider cropping or redacting visible details.
Messaging apps and social networks behave inconsistently. Some strip GPS on upload; others preserve it inside downloads or “original quality” modes. Email attachments and personal websites almost never strip EXIF for you. Local removal is the only habit that works everywhere.
Batch habits for photographers and freelancers
If you deliver client galleries, build a habit: export → strip → compress → deliver. The EXIF Remover supports batches and ZIP download so you can clean a set in one pass. Then run the Image Compressor if the brief asks for web-sized files. Keep your RAW/originals in a private archive with metadata intact for your own cataloguing.
Journalists and NGO workers sometimes need the opposite — preserved metadata for provenance. In those workflows, do not strip; instead control who receives the file. ITCOH’s remover is for sharing situations where location and device tags are liabilities, not assets.
Technical note on how stripping works here
Many browser removers draw the image onto a canvas and export a fresh JPEG/PNG. Canvas export typically does not copy EXIF, so GPS and camera tags disappear. That re-encode can slightly change file size and compression artifacts. For critical print work, compare a sample; for social and messaging use, the difference is usually negligible compared with the privacy win.
Remember again: metadata removal is not redaction. A readable license plate or document in the frame needs the watermark/blur tool or a crop, not EXIF stripping alone.
FAQ
Do PNG and WebP carry GPS too?
GPS is most common in JPEG from phones. Other formats can still carry metadata chunks; stripping before share remains good hygiene.
Is metadata removed from the original on disk?
No. You download a new clean copy. Your original library file stays unchanged unless you replace it yourself.
Can I strip EXIF from passport photos?
Yes — generate or crop first with the Passport Photo Generator, then strip if you export a JPEG for digital submission.