Delete your photo metadata!

Last updated: Jan 15, 2026
Please contact me if you notice any incorrect information.

This guide isn't complete for non-Windows devices but I'm kinda burned out on this research so it'll be finished in the future.

Metadata (also called EXIF) is information a device saves to a photo's file when it takes a picture. This can be info such as what type of phone took the photo, or where the photo was taken.

This matters because it means you might be telling the world where you live when you share a photo you took of your cat at home.

Don't panic! Most* major social media platforms automatically erase this info from photos when you post them, so you don't have to think or worry about it.
*Double-check your preferred social media to be sure.

However, if you are making a personal website on, say, Neocities — when you save a photo directly to your website, it doesn't automatically erase this metadata. You need to manually erase it yourself before you upload your photos.

The good news is that it is really easy to do.

PC (Windows)

On PC (these examples are Windows 10), right click an image > Properties > Details Tab > "Remove Properties and Personal Information"

Screenshot of a PC window displaying metadata information for an image, with red lines and arrows drawn to display where to interact with the window

Personally, I always just choose "Create a copy with all possible properties removed".

Mac

On Mac, ???

Android

On Android,

iOS

On iOS,

Final Notes

And... that's it!

Be sure you aren't sharing personally identifying information (PII) when you share photos! Delete your metadata!

P.S. Don't forget that photos containing identifiable landscapes or objects can also reveal your location. Take care around what is in the background of your photos, as well as the timing of when you post them.

A photo of a black kitten with yellow eyes, looking forward but under the camera. She is sitting on a rug. Ami says: "Make sure other information isn't visible in the photos too! My tag has Jack's phone number on it... that's not for the world to see!"