Photo Metadata Viewer & Cleaner
Inspect and remove hidden metadata from your photos. Every JPEG from your phone contains EXIF data: camera model, date, camera settings, and often your exact GPS coordinates. View this metadata to understand your photos better, or strip it entirely before sharing to protect your privacy. The cleaned image looks identical — only the hidden data is removed.
What does this tool do?
The EXIF Viewer reads and displays Exchangeable Image File Format (EXIF) metadata from JPEG images. It shows camera information (make, model, lens), capture settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focal length), date and time, and importantly, GPS coordinates if present. GPS data is highlighted in red for visibility — this is the privacy-sensitive location information many don't realize they're sharing. The strip function creates a cleaned copy with EXIF, IPTC, and XMP metadata markers removed, keeping only the image data itself.
How it works
Using JavaScript EXIF parsing libraries, the tool reads APP1 (EXIF), APP13 (IPTC), and APP14 (Adobe) marker segments from JPEG files. EXIF data is parsed according to the TIFF structure specification, extracting IFD (Image File Directory) entries for known tags. GPS coordinates are converted from degrees/minutes/seconds to decimal format with a Google Maps link for verification. The strip function rewrites the JPEG, copying only the SOI (Start of Image), image data (DCT coefficients), and EOI (End of Image) markers while omitting all metadata segments. The pixel data (the actual image) is byte-identical; only the metadata is removed.
Features
- Read EXIF, IPTC, XMP markers from JPEG
- Decoded camera, exposure, lens, GPS, timing fields
- GPS coordinates auto-converted to decimal + Maps link
- One-click strip: removes APP1, APP13, APP14 markers
- Pixel data unchanged — file size shrinks, image identical
- 100% client-side — photos never uploaded
- Privacy-focused GPS highlighting
How to use
- 1
Drop a JPEG
iPhone, Android, DSLR, mirrorless — all common cameras embed EXIF. The tool analyzes and displays all metadata fields.
- 2
Read the metadata
Review camera info, settings, date/time. GPS coordinates show in red if present — this reveals where the photo was taken.
- 3
Click Strip
A cleaned copy is generated with all metadata removed. Download and share this version instead of the original.
- 4
Verify the clean version
Re-upload the stripped image to confirm metadata is gone. The image looks identical but contains no hidden data.
Common use cases
Privacy protection before sharing
Strip GPS coordinates and camera info before posting photos online, emailing, or sharing in messaging apps.
Photo organization
View capture dates and camera settings to organize photo collections and identify shots from specific equipment.
Photography learning
Study EXIF from great photos to understand what camera settings (aperture, shutter, ISO) were used for specific effects.
Location verification
Verify GPS data is present in photos for travel documentation, or confirm it was properly stripped for privacy.
Tips & best practices
- GPS data in photos can reveal your home address, workplace, school, and travel patterns. Always strip before public sharing
- Social platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) strip some EXIF but not reliably. Private messaging apps often preserve it
- Stripping metadata typically reduces file size by 10-50KB. The image quality is completely unaffected
- Some cameras embed serial numbers in EXIF — stripping removes this identifying information too