How to Remove Metadata from Photos on iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac
Step-by-step ways to remove location and other metadata from photos on every major device, plus a one-step browser method that works everywhere.
Photos carry hidden metadata: where they were taken, when, and on which device. (What EXIF data reveals covers the details.) Here is how to remove it on each platform, from quickest to most thorough.
The one-step method that works on any device
Open NoUpload's metadata remover in any modern browser, drop in your photos, and download clean copies. The images are processed on your device and never uploaded. It works the same on a phone, a laptop or a library computer, and it handles batches.
If you want proof the result is clean, use Share-Safe instead: it inspects the photo, cleans it, and re-inspects the exported copy so you can see exactly what remains.
The device-specific methods below work too, but each covers a different subset of metadata.
iPhone and iPad
Remove location when sharing (quickest):
- Select the photo in Photos and tap Share.
- Tap Options at the top of the share sheet.
- Turn off Location. Leave All Photos Data off as well.
- Share as usual.
This only affects that share. The original keeps its data.
Remove location from the photo itself: open the photo, swipe up or tap (i), tap Adjust next to the location, and choose No Location.
Stop recording location for future photos: Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → Camera → Never.
Note that these options deal with location. Device model, dates and other fields stay in the file.
Android
The exact menus vary by manufacturer, but on most phones:
Stop the camera saving location: open the Camera app → Settings → turn off Location tags, Save location or similar.
Remove location in Google Photos: open the photo → swipe up → tap the location (or the pencil icon next to it) → Remove location.
As with iPhone, this targets location rather than all metadata.
Windows
- Right-click the photo in File Explorer → Properties.
- Open the Details tab and click Remove Properties and Personal Information.
- Choose Create a copy with all possible properties removed and click OK.
You can select several photos first to process them together. Windows can only remove fields it understands, so some app-specific metadata may survive.
Mac
Remove location in Preview:
- Open the photo in Preview.
- Tools → Show Inspector, then the (i) tab.
- If there is a GPS tab, click Remove Location Info.
When sharing from Photos: in the share options, turn off Include Location (wording varies by macOS version), or use Image → Location → Hide Location before exporting.
Preview removes GPS but not the rest of the EXIF data.
Which method should you use?
| Goal | Best option |
|---|---|
| Share one photo quickly from a phone | Share-sheet location toggle |
| Remove all metadata, any device | NoUpload metadata remover |
| Verify the result is clean | NoUpload Share-Safe |
| Stop future photos recording location | Camera location setting |
A final check
Whatever method you use, check the cleaned copy before sending it. Open it in the EXIF viewer and confirm there is no location, device or date information left. It takes ten seconds and removes the guesswork.