EXIF Viewer & Stripper
See exactly what metadata is hiding inside your photos and download a clean copy with it all removed. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
- On-device
- No uploads
- Works offline
EXIF viewer
Drop an image here, or click to pick a file
JPEG, PNG, HEIC, WEBP supported
Pick an image to see its EXIF data.
About this tool
This tool reads the EXIF metadata embedded in your photo and shows it in a clear table. It then flags any fields that could identify you, including GPS coordinates, camera serial numbers, and device models.
If you find anything you want removed, click "Download stripped copy" to get a clean version of your photo with all metadata erased. No upload, no account, no tracking.
Privacy risks in EXIF data
- GPS location: most smartphone cameras tag every photo with precise latitude and longitude. If you share the original file, anyone can pinpoint exactly where it was taken.
- Camera serial number: some cameras embed a unique identifier that can link multiple photos back to the same device.
- Device model: knowing the exact phone or camera model can narrow down who took a photo when combined with other information.
- Date and time: the exact timestamp can place you at a location even when GPS is absent.
- Software version: the camera app version can sometimes correlate with a small set of devices.
How stripping works
Metadata stripping uses the browser's built-in canvas API. The original image is drawn onto a canvas element, then re-exported as a fresh JPEG or PNG file. Because canvas output is a new file with no source metadata attached, the download contains only the pixel data.
Note that this is a lossy operation for JPEG images (quality is set to 95%). For lossless stripping of PNG files, quality is preserved. If you need a truly lossless result, consider a dedicated desktop tool.
About the EXIF Viewer and Stripper
Every time you take a photo on your phone, the camera app embeds a block of invisible metadata called EXIF data. That block can contain your exact GPS coordinates, the make and model of your device, the lens settings, the precise timestamp, and sometimes even a unique serial number for the camera. When you share a photo directly as a file, all of that information travels with it.
What EXIF metadata contains
The EXIF standard (Exchangeable Image File Format) was designed to help photo management software organize images. In practice it captures far more than most people realize. A photo taken on a modern smartphone might include latitude and longitude accurate to within a few meters, the exact model of device used, the software version of the camera app, and the time the shutter fired down to the second. That data is invisible to anyone glancing at the image but is trivially readable by any metadata tool.
When metadata becomes a problem
Most major social networks strip EXIF data when you upload a photo through their apps. However, if you send a photo by email, through a messaging app that preserves original files, or as a direct file transfer, the metadata stays intact. Journalists, researchers, and investigators routinely use EXIF data to verify or dispute the claimed location and time of photos. For everyday users, the most common concern is GPS data attached to photos shared in public posts or sold as stock images.
How to use this tool
Drop or pick any JPEG, PNG, HEIC, or WebP image. The viewer parses the EXIF block and shows every recognized field in a clean table. Red badges appear for any field considered a privacy risk. If you want a clean copy, click "Download stripped copy." The tool redraws your image on a canvas and exports a new file without any metadata attached. Your original file is not modified.
Frequently asked questions
Does my photo get uploaded anywhere?
No. The entire process happens inside your browser tab. Your photo is read from your local storage, processed in memory by JavaScript, and never sent to any server. You can disconnect from the internet and the tool still works.
Which metadata fields does the viewer show?
The viewer shows make, model, date taken, exposure time, aperture, ISO, focal length, orientation, software, and GPS coordinates if present. Fields not found in the file are omitted from the table.
Does the stripped copy lose image quality?
PNG files are re-encoded losslessly with no quality change. JPEG files are re-encoded at 95% quality, which is visually identical to the original for almost all photos but is technically a second compression step.
What image formats are supported?
The EXIF parser supports JPEG, PNG, HEIC, TIFF, and WebP. The strip-and-download feature outputs JPEG for most formats and PNG when the input is a PNG file.