Photo Privacy Cleaner
Free online tool to remove EXIF, GPS location, and metadata from your JPEG, PNG, and WebP photos.
What This Tool Does
Photo Privacy Cleaner removes hidden metadata from your photos that could reveal personal information:
- GPS coordinates — the exact location where the photo was taken
- Camera information — device make, model, serial number, and settings (JPEG, WebP)
- Date and time — when the photo was captured
- XMP metadata — editing software information and history (JPEG, WebP)
- Text chunks — comments, copyright, author info (PNG)
- IPTC data — copyright, captions, keywords, and other text (JPEG)
- Embedded thumbnails — preview images that may contain their own metadata (JPEG)
What Is Preserved
- Orientation tag — so JPEG photos display correctly (no unwanted rotation)
- ICC color profile — for accurate color reproduction (all formats)
- Alpha channel — transparency is preserved (PNG, WebP)
- Image quality — pixel data is unchanged (truly lossless processing)
How It Works
This tool uses lossless container surgery. It detects format by file signature (magic bytes), parses the file structure, and removes metadata without re-encoding. Your actual photo pixels remain exactly the same.
- Drop or select your photos — JPEG, PNG, or WebP (up to 10 files, 30MB each, 150MB total)
- The tool processes them instantly in your browser
- Review the before/after metadata comparison
- Download cleaned photos individually or as a ZIP file
- HEIC/HEIF not supported — complex format with licensing constraints; convert to JPEG first
- Animated PNG/WebP rejected — to prevent frame corruption; static images only
- Not anonymization — visible photo content (faces, landmarks, text) can still identify people and places
- No guarantee of complete removal — some proprietary metadata formats may not be detected
Supported Formats
- JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg) — Fully supported; removes EXIF/GPS/XMP/IPTC, preserves orientation
- PNG (.png) — Fully supported; removes text chunks/eXIf/tIME, preserves color profiles
- WebP (.webp) — Fully supported; removes EXIF/XMP, preserves ICC and alpha
- HEIC/HEIF — Not supported (complex format; please convert first)
- GIF, BMP — Not supported
Format is detected by file signature (magic bytes), not just file extension.
How to Verify Results
Don't just trust any tool — verify the metadata removal yourself:
- ExifTool — Free command-line tool:
exiftool yourphoto.jpg - Jeffrey's Exif Viewer — Online tool at exif.regex.info
- Operating system — Right-click → Properties (Windows) or Get Info (macOS)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I remove metadata from photos?
Photos from smartphones and cameras often contain hidden data including your exact GPS location, device information, and timestamps. When shared online, anyone who downloads your photos can access this data, potentially revealing your home address, workplace, or travel patterns.
Is my photo uploaded anywhere?
No. All processing happens entirely in your web browser using JavaScript. Your photos never leave your device. You can verify this by using the tool while offline — it works without any internet connection.
Will this affect my photo quality?
No. This tool removes metadata by editing the file structure directly, without re-encoding the image. The actual pixel data remains exactly the same. ICC color profiles are also preserved to ensure colors display correctly.
How is photo orientation handled?
JPEG photos with non-standard orientation (rotated or mirrored) have their orientation tag preserved in a minimal EXIF segment. This ensures photos display correctly after cleaning. GPS, camera info, timestamps, and other sensitive data are still removed — only the orientation value is kept.
Why doesn't this support HEIC files?
HEIC/HEIF uses the HEVC codec which has patent licensing requirements and complex decoding. Browser-based decoding is unreliable. Please convert HEIC files to JPEG first using your phone's export feature or another converter.
Why are animated images rejected?
Animated PNG (APNG) and animated WebP have complex frame structures. Metadata removal could corrupt animation timing or frames. Static images only are supported until animation handling is thoroughly tested.
Does removing metadata make me anonymous?
No. Metadata removal helps protect privacy, but the visible content of a photo can still reveal information. Faces, landmarks, street signs, reflections, and other visual elements can identify people and places. Metadata removal is one privacy measure, not complete anonymization.
Privacy Statement
- No data collection
- No cookies
- No tracking or analytics
- No server uploads — 100% client-side processing
- Open source — you can inspect the code