View and remove EXIF data and photo location
See exactly what a photo says about you, then remove it without touching a single pixel.
- Processed on your device. Your photos are never uploaded. How we know
- Free, no sign-up, no watermark
Drop photos to see and remove their metadata
Drop files, paste with Ctrl+V, or choose them from your device.
PixWrench’s code runs on your device. We don’t receive your files, file names or their contents.
PixWrench’s code runs on your device. We don’t receive your files, file names or their contents. What happens to your files
How to see and remove EXIF data, including GPS location, from photos
Phones and cameras tuck a surprising amount into each picture: when it was taken, on which device, with what settings and, if location was switched on, where. That travels with the file when you email it, sell something online or post it on a forum that doesn’t clean images.
Drop photos here to read every field in plain language, then save clean copies. For the bigger picture, including how to stop phones recording location, read our guide to removing location from photos.
- 1
Open the photos
Add JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC or AVIF files. Each one lists its metadata, with any location fields highlighted.
- 2
Choose what to remove
Keep the default “all metadata”, or pick “location only” to keep the date and camera details.
- 3
Save and check
Download clean copies one by one or as a zip. Each is re-read after cleaning to confirm the GPS is gone.
What this tool does
- Shows camera, lens, date taken, exposure, software and any serial number or owner name
- GPS latitude and longitude in decimal and degrees-minutes-seconds, plus altitude and direction
- Location fields highlighted, with copy and an optional OpenStreetMap link
- Remove all metadata (default) or location only
- Lossless for JPG, PNG and WebP: image data copied byte for byte
- Upright photos stay upright, via a tiny orientation-only tag when needed
- Each cleaned file is re-read to confirm no GPS remains
- Batch cleaning with a zip download
Cleaning a test photo with GPS inside
Our test file photo-gps.jpg (398,618 bytes) carries the camera name “PixWrench Labs Fixture Cam 1” and a position of 51.5007° N, 0.1246° W, which in degrees, minutes and seconds is 51° 30′ 2.6″ N, 0° 7′ 28.7″ W, at 12 m altitude. We ran it through the same engine code the tool uses (script measure-t1.mjs).
| Option | Size after | Bytes removed | GPS after | Image data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remove all metadata | 398,133 | 485 | none | identical |
| Location only | 398,471 | 147 | none (camera name kept) | identical |
“Identical” means we compared the compressed picture data before and after, byte by byte. Only the metadata block changed.
How removal works without re-encoding
A JPG is a sequence of labeled blocks. The picture itself sits in a compressed scan; EXIF lives in a separate block near the start, defined by the Exif standard that CIPA maintains with JEITA. PNG and WebP use named chunks in a similar way. PixWrench rewrites the file, copying the image blocks exactly and leaving out the metadata ones, so there is no decoding, no quality loss and no change in pixels. The embedded color profile stays, because removing it would shift colors.
One subtlety: some photos are stored sideways with an Orientation tag that tells viewers to turn them. Deleting that tag would leave them lying on their side, so in that case the tool writes back a tiny EXIF holding only the orientation.
HEIC and AVIF can be inspected here but not cleaned in place. Convert them with the HEIC to JPG converter, which drops location as it goes.
What a photo can reveal
| Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| GPS latitude, longitude, altitude, direction | Can point to your home, workplace or a child’s school |
| Date and time taken | Shows when you were somewhere |
| Camera make, model and lens | Identifies the device |
| Body serial number, owner name | Can link photos to one person; the Exif standard has tags for both |
| Software | Reveals editing apps or firmware |
The OpenStreetMap link only opens if you click it, so viewing a location here doesn’t send coordinates anywhere by itself.
Location only, or everything?
Location only removes the GPS section and also any XMP or IPTC blocks, since those can repeat the position, while keeping date, camera and exposure. It suits photographers who want their settings preserved. Remove all is the safer default when you don’t know who will see the file.
Good to know
- Faces, house numbers and street signs in the picture itself are not metadata. Hide them with the blur and pixelate tool.
- HEIC and AVIF are view-only here; convert them first to clean them.
- Don’t expect big savings: removing metadata took just 485 bytes off our test photo. For smaller files, use the image compressor.
- A file already shared keeps its metadata wherever it went. Clean copies before you send them.
What happens to your files
Processed on your device. Your photos are never uploaded. PixWrench’s code runs on your device. We don’t receive your files, file names or their contents.
Reading and cleaning happen entirely in this tab: the file is parsed in memory and the clean copy is written on your device. Coordinates are shown to you alone; the map link is a normal link you choose to follow, and copying puts them on your clipboard only.
Verify our work by dropping the cleaned file back in: the location section should be empty. Advertising and analytics scripts on the page are separate from this tool and are covered in the privacy policy.
Related tools and guides
Questions people ask
How can I tell if a photo has location data?
Drop it in. If GPS fields exist, they are highlighted with the coordinates in two formats.
Does removing EXIF reduce image quality?
No. For JPG, PNG and WebP the picture data is copied byte for byte; only metadata blocks are dropped.
Do social networks remove location automatically?
Policies differ and change, and files sent by email or messaging may keep everything. Cleaning before you share means you don’t have to rely on anyone else.
Why does my cleaned photo still have a small EXIF block?
It holds only the Orientation tag, so a photo stored sideways still displays upright. No location, date or camera details are in it.
Can I keep the date but remove the location?
Yes, choose location only. Date taken, camera and exposure stay.
Can I remove EXIF from iPhone HEIC photos?
You can view it here, then use the HEIC converter, which removes location by default.
Sources and review
- CIPA DC-008: Exif standard (CIPA standards list)
- MDN: image-orientation
- MDN: Image file type and format guide
Page reviewed by the PixWrench team · How it works · Changelog · Report a problem