What is EXIF data, and why you should remove it before sharing photos
Updated 15 October 2026
Every photo from a phone or camera carries hidden information called EXIF metadata. Most people never see it, but anyone who receives the original file can.
What EXIF contains
- Camera or phone model and lens settings
- Date and time the photo was taken
- Software used to edit it
- Orientation
- GPS coordinates, if location was enabled for the camera
Why it matters
A photo taken at home and posted as an original file can expose where you live. The same goes for photos of children, valuables or workplaces. Many large social networks remove metadata when you upload, but not all sites, email attachments or messaging options do, and you cannot be sure how each service handles files.
When to remove it
- Selling items online with photos taken at home
- Sharing photos in forums, by email or through file links
- Publishing on your own website or blog
- Sending documents or scans that might reveal where they were created
How to remove EXIF data
- Turn off location tagging in your camera settings for future photos.
- Re-save the image. If the image is redrawn from its pixels and saved as a new file, the old metadata is not carried over. This is exactly what the tool below does.
- Check the result. On a computer, view the file’s properties (details tab) to confirm that location is gone.
What you lose
Metadata like orientation is applied to the pixels during re-saving, so the photo still looks correct. You lose the date and camera information, which is usually the point.
Remove it now
Use the remover below: drop one photo or many, and download clean copies as a ZIP. Everything runs in your browser, so your photos are never uploaded. If you also want smaller files, try Compress Image afterwards.