Remove EXIF Data from Photos
No Quality Loss
Unlike other tools that recompress your images, PixelPeeper strips metadata directly from the file without touching the image data. Your photo quality remains exactly the same — only the metadata is removed.
This is achieved using ExifTool, which modifies only the metadata segments of the file while leaving the actual image data untouched.
What Gets Removed
When you strip EXIF data with this tool, the following metadata is removed:
- GPS coordinates — Exact location where the photo was taken
- Camera settings — ISO, aperture, shutter speed, focal length
- Device info — Camera/phone model, lens, serial numbers
- Timestamps — Date and time the photo was taken
- Lightroom edits — XMP data with editing adjustments
- Thumbnails — Embedded preview images
Note: Image orientation is preserved, so your photo will still display correctly after metadata removal.
Why Remove EXIF Data?
Common reasons to strip metadata from photos:
- Privacy — Remove GPS location before sharing publicly
- Security — Hide device information and serial numbers
- Anonymity — Prevent identification through camera fingerprinting
- File size — Reduce file size slightly (metadata is usually small though)
Before You Remove: Consider Keeping a Backup
While there are valid reasons to strip metadata, consider keeping original files with metadata intact:
- Future reference — You may want to know camera settings or location later
- Preset recovery — If you lose your Lightroom presets, you can recover them from JPEGs that have metadata
- Organization — Metadata helps with sorting and searching photos
Recommended workflow:
- Keep original exports with full metadata in a secure location
- Create copies for sharing
- Strip metadata only from the copies you'll upload publicly
Alternative Methods
If you prefer to remove EXIF data locally on your computer, here are some options:
ExifTool (Windows, macOS, Linux)
ExifTool is a free, cross-platform command-line tool for removing metadata. Download from exiftool.org and run:
exiftool -all= photo.jpgTo process all images in a folder:
exiftool -all= *.jpgImageOptim (macOS)
ImageOptim removes metadata while optimizing file size. In Preferences, check "Strip JPEG metadata" and drag and drop your images.
Platform-Specific Notes
Social Media Auto-Stripping
Most social platforms automatically remove EXIF data on upload:
- Instagram — Strips all metadata
- Facebook — Strips all metadata
- Twitter/X — Strips all metadata
- Flickr — Preserves metadata (be careful!)
Messaging Apps
- iMessage — Preserves metadata
- WhatsApp — Strips metadata
- Signal — Strips metadata by default
- Telegram — Strips metadata
If privacy is a concern, strip metadata yourself rather than relying on platforms to do it.
Verify Metadata Was Removed
After stripping metadata, you can verify it worked:
- Upload the processed image to the EXIF Data Viewer
- Check that no EXIF or XMP data appears
- Confirm GPS coordinates are gone
Frequently Asked Questions
Does removing EXIF data reduce image quality?
No. PixelPeeper removes metadata without recompressing your image. The actual image data remains untouched, so there is zero quality loss. This is different from some tools that re-encode the image when removing metadata, which can introduce compression artifacts.
What file formats are supported?
Currently, the EXIF removal tool supports JPG/JPEG images. These are the most common format for photos and contain the most metadata. Support for other formats may be added in the future.
Is my photo stored on your servers?
Yes, uploaded photos are stored on our servers for processing. You have the option to delete your uploads at any time. See our privacy policy for details on how we handle your data.
Why is the file size smaller after removing metadata?
Metadata can add several kilobytes to a file, especially if it includes embedded thumbnails or extensive XMP data from editing software like Lightroom. Removing this data reduces the file size, though the reduction is typically small compared to the overall image size.
Can I remove only GPS data and keep other metadata?
Currently, this tool removes all metadata at once. If you need more granular control
over which metadata to remove, consider using ExifTool directly on your computer.
For example, exiftool -gps:all= photo.jpg removes only GPS data.