How to Remove Location and EXIF Data From Your Photos

Every photo your phone takes carries hidden information called EXIF data. Sometimes that includes the exact GPS location where it was taken, such as your home, your children's school or your office. Before you post photos publicly or sell something online, it's worth knowing what's in there.

What EXIF data contains

Location: latitude and longitude, often accurate to a few metres, if location tagging is on.
Date and time the photo was taken.
Device: phone or camera make and model, sometimes a serial number.
Camera settings: exposure, aperture, ISO, focal length, flash.
Software used to edit the photo.
A thumbnail of the original image, which in rare cases survives cropping.

See exactly what a photo reveals with the EXIF viewer.

Which apps remove it for you?

Many big platforms strip location data from photos when they're posted publicly, including Facebook, Instagram and X. WhatsApp also removes most metadata when it sends a photo as an image.

But plenty of routes keep the original data:

Sending a photo as a file or document in WhatsApp, Telegram or email
Uploading to many forums, classified ad sites and personal blogs
Sharing via cloud links (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive)
Transferring with a USB cable or AirDrop

Don't rely on each platform's behaviour; it can change without notice.

How to remove EXIF data

Open remove EXIF data.
Drop in one or more photos.
Download the cleaned copies.

The photo looks exactly the same, but the hidden metadata is gone. Everything happens in your browser, so the photos aren't uploaded anywhere.

Stop your phone adding location

iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → Camera → set to Never. When sharing, you can also tap Options in the share sheet and turn off Location.

Android: open the Camera app settings and turn off Location tags or Save location (the name varies by phone).

You'll lose the ability to see photos on a map in your gallery, but new photos won't carry your location.

When EXIF data is useful

Metadata isn't all bad. Photographers use it to learn from their camera settings, and dates help organise photo libraries. A good habit: keep your originals with metadata in your private library, and strip it from copies you share publicly.

Quick privacy checklist

Turn off camera location tagging unless you need it.
Strip EXIF before posting on forums, marketplaces or personal websites.
Be careful with photos showing your house number, car plate or documents; metadata isn't the only clue. The blur tool can hide those details.