How to Remove Metadata From Photos (And Verify It Worked)
Most built-in tools only strip part of it. Here's what each method actually removes, how to check the result, and the side effect that turns photos sideways.
November 5, 2026
There is more than one kind of metadata
This is why people strip a photo and find information still in it.
EXIF is the one everybody knows: camera make and model, timestamp, exposure settings, and GPS coordinates.
IPTC holds descriptive fields - captions, keywords, credit, copyright. Common in anything that has been through a photo library or newsroom workflow.
XMP is Adobe's standard, used for editing history and a wide range of custom fields. Software often writes it alongside EXIF.
There are also maker notes - proprietary blocks that camera manufacturers write in their own formats.
A tool that says it removes EXIF may leave IPTC and XMP untouched. If you stripped a photo and something still shows up, this is usually why.
What each built-in method actually does
Windows - right-click the file, Properties, Details tab, then "Remove Properties and Personal Information". This removes the fields Windows knows how to read. XMP blocks and manufacturer-specific data often survive.
macOS Preview - Tools → Show Inspector → the info tab → GPS → Remove Location Info. This removes location only. Camera model, timestamp and everything else stay.
iPhone share sheet - tap Options at the top of the share sheet and turn off Location. Again, this is location only. Device model and capture settings go with the photo.
Android gallery apps - behaviour varies enormously by manufacturer and app version. Some remove location, some remove more, some show the option only when they detect GPS data.
None of these are wrong or useless. They are just partial, and they are usually presented as complete.
Try it yourself. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.