EXIF Metadata Viewer and Remover – Strip GPS Before You Share
A photo file is more than pixels: JPEG, HEIC and other containers often carry EXIF tags such as camera model, exposure settings, capture time and even GPS coordinates. This tool reads those tags directly from the file bytes and lets you strip them in one click, so the image you share no longer reveals where or when it was taken.
Reading and stripping happen entirely in your browser. For JPG, PNG and WebP the clean copy is rewritten byte-for-byte with the metadata segments removed and the pixels untouched; for HEIC it falls back to a local re-encode.
Key features
- Reads EXIF tags straight from the file bytes, including GPS
- Shows file size, dimensions, tag count and a GPS yes/no badge
- One-click strip that then re-reads the output to verify removal
- Lossless byte remap for JPG/PNG/WebP; clean filename marked “_clean”
- No upload — inspection and stripping stay on your device
How to use
- Choose a JPG, PNG, WebP or HEIC photo.
- Review the file facts and embedded EXIF tags; GPS rows are flagged.
- Press “Clear metadata” to write a verified clean copy.
- Download the privacy-safe image.
What metadata can leak
When you post a photo taken on a phone, the viewer usually sees the image but not the tags — yet the tags are still inside the file unless a platform strips them. That is exactly why checking before you share matters, especially for photos taken at home, on holiday or near a workplace.
- GPS coordinates that pin down where a photo was taken.
- Camera or phone model, lens, aperture, shutter speed and ISO.
- Capture date and time, and thumbnail previews embedded in the file.
- Software tags and edit history written by some editors.
What the page actually shows
After you pick a file, a stats row reports the file size, pixel dimensions, the number of embedded metadata items and a clear “Contains” or “None” GPS badge. Below that, file information (name, type, size, dimensions, modified date) is shown alongside every EXIF tag found; any GPS-prefixed row is highlighted in red so you notice it at a glance. If no metadata is present, the page says so in green rather than showing a blank table.
How stripping works — lossless, then verified
Lossless byte remap (JPG, PNG, WebP)
For common web formats the tool rebuilds the file container without the metadata segments and leaves the image pixels exactly as they were — no quality loss, no re-compression. It then reads the resulting bytes back and confirms that no EXIF or GPS remains, and reports which segments were removed and the before/after file size. The download is named after your original file with “_clean” added.
HEIC and other containers
HEIC stores its tags inside a structured container the byte-level remap cannot always rewrite, so the tool decodes the picture and re-encodes it as a clean JPEG at high quality. That removes every tag but applies one lossy re-encode; for HEIC you may prefer to convert to JPG first and then strip.
Step by step
- Click the upload area or drag one photo onto it.
- Read the tag list and check whether the GPS badge says “Contains”.
- Press “Clear metadata” and wait for the verification message.
- Download the “_clean” file; use it for public sharing.
Privacy limits
Because inspection and stripping run locally, your photos and their location data never reach a server. Note that this tool strips embedded file metadata only — it cannot remove something already visible in the picture itself, and it processes one photo at a time. If sharing many images, prepare them first, then compress or convert as needed.
Related tools
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is EXIF metadata?
It is text stored inside an image file — camera or phone model, lens and exposure settings, capture date, thumbnail previews, and on many phones GPS coordinates of where the shot was taken.
Does removing metadata change the picture quality?
For JPG, PNG and WebP it rewrites the container bytes and leaves the pixels untouched, so quality is identical. HEIC cannot be remapped losslessly and is re-encoded to JPEG, which applies one high-quality re-compression.
How do I know the GPS data is really gone?
After stripping, the tool re-reads the exported bytes and flips the GPS badge to “Stripped”, and the confirmation dialog reports which segments were removed and the file size before and after.
Can I remove just one tag and keep the rest?
No — stripping is all-or-nothing by design, which is the safest default for sharing. There is no field-level editor here; the goal is a clean file you can post anywhere.
Is my photo uploaded to read its EXIF?
No. The byte parser and the stripping run entirely in your browser, so the file and its location data never leave your device.