How to use the EXIF viewer
Drop a photo onto the page or click to browse. The tool reads every piece of embedded metadata — camera settings, GPS coordinates, date taken, software used, and often a thumbnail of the image — and displays it grouped by category. If a GPS position is found, a warning appears with a link to see the location on a map.
Click Strip metadata to download a clean copy of the same image with all metadata removed. The visual content is unchanged.
What is EXIF data?
EXIF stands for Exchangeable Image File Format. It is a standard that cameras and smartphones use to record information about each photo:
- Camera make and model — Apple iPhone 15 Pro, Canon EOS R5, etc.
- Lens — the specific lens used
- Date and time — down to the second, sometimes with timezone
- GPS coordinates — latitude and longitude, often with altitude and compass direction
- Exposure settings — shutter speed, aperture, ISO sensitivity
- Flash — whether the flash fired
- Software — the app that created or edited the file
- Orientation — how the camera was held
- Thumbnail — a small preview embedded in the file
Why EXIF matters for privacy
The most sensitive piece is GPS coordinates. If your phone has location services enabled and you take a photo at home, the photo contains the exact latitude and longitude of your house. When you email that photo or send it through a messaging app that doesn't strip metadata, the recipient can see where it was taken.
Similar concerns apply to:
- Date and time — reveals when you're on holiday, when your house is empty, etc.
- Camera model — valuable device information for targeted attacks
- Software — can reveal what editing tools you use
When metadata is useful
EXIF isn't always bad. It's essential for:
- Photographers — checking what settings produced a shot
- Journalists — verifying the origin of a photo
- Photo organisers — sorting by date taken rather than file date
- Forensics — establishing when a photo was captured
The question is whether the metadata should travel with the image when you share it. For most people sharing personal photos, the answer is no.
How to remove EXIF data
This tool re-encodes the image through the browser's Canvas API. The output contains only the pixels — no metadata. Same visual content, no hidden information. Download the result and share it safely.
Note: the re-encoding also removes the embedded thumbnail, which is a common leak. And because the image is re-compressed at high quality, the file size is usually similar or slightly smaller.
Common questions
What is EXIF data?
EXIF stands for Exchangeable Image File Format. It's metadata that cameras and phones embed in photos. It can include the date and time, camera make and model, GPS coordinates, shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and sometimes even a thumbnail.
Can EXIF data reveal my location?
Yes. If your phone has location services on, every photo you take can include GPS coordinates. Anyone who downloads that photo can see exactly where it was taken unless the metadata is stripped.
How do I remove EXIF data?
Use this tool. Drop a photo, then click Strip metadata. The output is a clean image with the same visual content but no hidden information.
Does social media strip metadata?
Most major platforms strip EXIF on upload, but this is not guaranteed, especially for direct file shares over messaging apps, email, or file transfer services.
Can I view EXIF without this tool?
On Windows, right-click the file → Properties → Details. On macOS, open the file in Preview → Tools → Show Inspector. Both show a subset of EXIF. This tool shows everything in a structured way.
Why does HEIC sometimes not work?
HEIC is Apple's format. Some browsers can decode it, some cannot. If your HEIC file fails, convert it to JPG first — iOS does this automatically when sharing.
Does stripping metadata change the image?
Visually, no. Technically, the image is re-encoded at high quality, which can occasionally produce a slightly different file size but no visible change.
Is my data uploaded?
No. Everything runs in your browser. Your photos never leave your device.