Image Metadata Viewer: Inspect & Remove EXIF, GPS and Camera Data
Inspect embedded EXIF, GPS location coordinates, camera body and lens identifiers, capture timestamps, and container chunks in JPG, PNG, and WebP images. When you want to share a photo privately, strip all EXIF metadata, remove only GPS location tags, or scrub camera identifiers locally in your browser and verify the cleaned file with a side-by-side before-and-after table.
Loading image metadata viewer…
Your image is parsed and cleaned directly in your browser's memory on your own device and is never uploaded to a server. Both the original inspection report and the stripped download stay local to this tab.
How to inspect and remove EXIF or GPS metadata from an image
- 1Select or drag a JPG, JPEG, PNG, or WebP file into the upload area, or click Load Sample Photo with EXIF & GPS to test the parser on a synthetic camera JPEG.
- 2Review the Core Metadata Summary table for Camera Manufacturer, Camera Model, Date & Time, Dimensions, Orientation, Exposure Time, ISO, Aperture, Focal Length, GPS Coordinates, Software, and EXIF Version.
- 3Choose a removal scope under Metadata Removal: Strip All EXIF & Metadata (recommended for full privacy), Remove GPS Location Only, or Remove Camera & Software Identifiers Only.
- 4Click Clean & Verify Metadata. The tool performs format-specific binary stripping and immediately re-parses the output bytes to generate a verified Before vs. After comparison.
- 5Check the Removed Categories list and download the cleaned image file to your device.
Key capabilities of the EXIF viewer and metadata scrubber
Truthful binary EXIF, TIFF IFD, PNG and WebP inspection
Reads little-endian (II) and big-endian (MM) TIFF directories inside JPEG APP1, PNG eXIf, and WebP EXIF chunks—plus PNG tEXt/iTXt/tIME chunks and JPEG COM comments—reporting 'Not available' whenever a tag is absent.
Lossless container stripping without re-encoding pixels
Removes JPEG APP1/APP13/COM markers, PNG eXIf/tEXt/iTXt/tIME chunks, and WebP EXIF/XMP chunks directly from the binary container so your compressed image pixels suffer zero generation loss.
Selective GPS-only or camera-only binary scrubbing
Need to keep capture timestamps and exposure settings for a photography portfolio while hiding where the photo was taken? Choose Remove GPS Location Only to zero out the GPS IFD pointer and coordinate bytes in place.
Automatic before-and-after verification pass
Every cleaned buffer is passed back through the binary metadata parser before download, confirming side by side which fields changed from populated values to 'Not available'.
Practical privacy and technical use cases
- Removing embedded home or workplace GPS coordinates from smartphone photos before posting them on public forums, classifieds, or personal blogs.
- Checking camera body, lens model, shutter speed, ISO, and aperture settings on a reference photograph before compressing it with the JPG Compressor.
- Diagnosing why a portrait photo opens sideways in certain viewers by inspecting its EXIF Orientation tag (1–8) before fixing the pixels with Rotate Image.
- Stripping editing software strings, author tags, and document comments from screenshots or product assets before publishing them on a client website.
- Verifying that a previously exported PNG or WebP file does not carry hidden eXIf or tEXt metadata chunks prior to public release.
Supported image formats and how each stores metadata
Different image formats store metadata in completely different binary structures. Understanding how each container works explains why some files carry rich camera history while others only list pixel dimensions:
- JPEG / JPG (.jpg, .jpeg): Stores metadata inside APP1 (0xFFE1) segments containing a TIFF-formatted EXIF directory (0th IFD, Exif SubIFD, and GPS IFD) and/or an Adobe XMP XML packet, plus optional APP13 IPTC press data and COM (0xFFFE) text comments.
- PNG (.png): Traditionally stored only text key-value pairs inside tEXt, zTXt, and iTXt chunks, modification dates in tIME, and pixel density in pHYs. Modern cameras and editors can also embed a full raw EXIF block inside an ancillary eXIf chunk.
- WebP (.webp): Uses a RIFF container where extended files (VP8X) can attach dedicated EXIF and XMP chunks after the compressed VP8 or VP8L image frame.
How EXIF metadata storage and lossless removal work
EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) was designed by camera manufacturers so every JPEG file could carry a structured log of how and where the frame was captured. Inside a JPEG file, compressed image pixels only begin at the SOS (Start of Scan, 0xFFDA) marker. Everything between the initial SOI (0xFFD8) marker and the quantization/Huffman tables consists of optional application segments.
Many basic web tools strip metadata by drawing the image onto an HTML5 Canvas and re-encoding a brand-new JPEG or PNG. While canvas re-encoding discards EXIF tags, it also subjects JPEG photographs to a second round of lossy compression and strips embedded ICC color profiles. Instead, this tool parses the binary container directly: in Strip All mode, it excises the metadata segments (APP1 Exif/XMP, APP13 IPTC, and COM in JPEG; eXIf, tEXt, zTXt, iTXt, and tIME in PNG; EXIF and XMP in WebP) while keeping the original compressed image bitstream byte-for-byte intact.
How GPS coordinates are stored in photographs
When location services are enabled on a phone or GPS-equipped camera, the device writes a GPSInfoIFDPointer (tag 0x8825) inside the primary TIFF directory. That pointer references a sub-table containing latitude and longitude as three rational fractions each (Degrees, Minutes, and Seconds), plus hemisphere references (N/S and E/W) and altitude in meters.
Why orientation tags matter when stripping EXIF
Phones often record portrait photos with the sensor held sideways and set EXIF Orientation to 6 (Rotate 90° CW). If you strip all EXIF tags from a photo whose orientation is stored only as a tag, viewers that relied on that tag will display the photo on its side. Check the Orientation field first, and if it is not 1 (Horizontal / normal), use Rotate Image to bake the upright orientation into the pixels.
Before and after metadata removal examples
Here is how a real camera JPEG and a smartphone portrait look before and after running format-specific metadata removal:
Example 1: Stripping GPS Location Only from a Smartphone Photo
Preserves camera model and exposure settings while erasing exact coordinates.
- Before: Camera = Apple iPhone 15 Pro · Exposure = 1/120 s, f/1.8, ISO 64 · GPS = 12.975, 77.594444 (12° 58' 18" N, 77° 35' 40" E)
- Action: Selected 'Remove GPS Location Only' (in-place binary GPS IFD zeroing)
- After: Camera = Apple iPhone 15 Pro · Exposure = 1/120 s, f/1.8, ISO 64 · GPS = Not available
- Pixel impact: Zero recompression; compressed JPEG scan bytes remain identical.
Example 2: Full EXIF & Comment Strip on a Mirrorless Camera JPEG
Removes APP1 Exif/XMP, lens serials, timestamps, and GPS in one lossless pass.
- Before: Make = Canon · Model = Canon EOS R6 Mark II · Lens = RF 35mm F1.8 · Date = 2026:10:18 14:22:09 · Software = Firmware 1.4.0
- Action: Selected 'Strip All EXIF & Metadata' (lossless APP1/APP13/COM segment removal)
- After: Make = Not available · Model = Not available · Date = Not available · GPS = Not available · Dimensions = 6000 × 4000 px
- File size change: Reduced by 18 KB–64 KB (the exact byte weight of the removed APP1 segment and embedded thumbnail).
Technical limitations to keep in mind
- Many social media downloads already lack EXIF: Photos downloaded from WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, or X/Twitter usually have their camera and GPS tags stripped by those platforms during upload, so most fields will legitimately read 'Not available'.
- Orientation tag removal on unrotated phone photos: Removing the entire EXIF block also removes Orientation tag 0x0112. If your photo reports Orientation 3, 6, or 8, rotate the image pixels upright with Rotate Image if you strip all EXIF.
- Visual watermarks and visible text in pixels: Stripping container metadata removes hidden header tags, but it does not erase date stamps or location text visibly painted onto the image pixels themselves.
- Supported container scope: Binary segment stripping is implemented for JPEG, PNG, and WebP containers. For HEIC or TIFF files, convert them first using the HEIC to JPG Converter or TIFF to JPG Converter.
What happens to your file
Binary header parsing (JPEG APP1/TIFF IFDs, PNG eXIf/tEXt/iTXt chunks, and WebP RIFF EXIF chunks) and metadata stripping run entirely on local Uint8Array buffers inside your browser tab. Neither your original photograph, its GPS coordinates, nor the cleaned output file is transmitted to any external server. Reloading the page clears the in-memory inspection report.
Supports JPG/JPEG, PNG, and WebP files up to 50 MB. Missing metadata fields are always reported truthfully as 'Not available' and are never invented or estimated.
Full details are in the Privacy Policy.
Troubleshooting metadata viewing and removal
Why do almost all fields say 'Not available' on my photo?
The file genuinely does not contain an EXIF segment. Screenshots, web graphics, PNG exports made with 'Save for Web', and photos sent through messaging apps do not store camera or GPS tags. You can click 'Load Sample Photo with EXIF & GPS' in the workbench to see how a populated camera file looks.
Why did my portrait photo turn sideways after stripping all EXIF?
Your phone stored the photo sideways and used EXIF Orientation tag 6 or 8 to tell viewers to rotate it on screen. When you strip all EXIF, that rotation instruction is removed too. Use 'Remove GPS Location Only' to keep the orientation tag, or run the image through Rotate Image to rotate the actual pixels.
Does removing metadata reduce image file size?
It reduces file size by the exact byte size of the embedded metadata segments (typically 4 KB to 60 KB when an EXIF thumbnail or XMP packet is present). If you need a major file size reduction, use the [Image Compressor](/tools/image-compressor) after inspecting your file.
If the cleaned image still needs to meet a strict kilobyte upload limit after metadata removal, reduce its encoded size with Image Compressor.
Frequently asked questions
What is EXIF data in a photo?
EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) is a standard set of metadata tags embedded inside image files by digital cameras and smartphones. It records technical details such as the camera make and model, lens, shutter speed, aperture, ISO, capture date and time, orientation, and optional GPS coordinates.
Does this EXIF viewer and remover upload my photo to a server?
No. Both the binary metadata reader and the metadata remover execute locally in your browser using JavaScript typed arrays. Your image and its private location or camera data never leave your device.
Does removing EXIF metadata reduce image quality?
No. On JPEG, PNG, and WebP files, this tool strips or scrubs the metadata segments directly at the binary container level without decoding and re-encoding the compressed image pixels, so visual quality remains 100% unchanged.
Can I remove only GPS location data while keeping camera settings?
Yes. Select 'Remove GPS Location Only' before clicking Clean & Verify Metadata. The tool zeroes out the GPS IFD pointer and coordinate data inside the EXIF block while leaving camera make, model, exposure time, ISO, and orientation intact.
How can I be sure the metadata was actually removed from the downloaded file?
Immediately after stripping, the tool runs its binary inspector on the newly generated output bytes and displays a Before vs. After comparison table on screen. You can also re-upload the downloaded file into the viewer at any time to confirm every removed field reads 'Not available'.
Do PNG and WebP images contain EXIF and GPS data too?
Yes, they can. While older PNGs only carried text chunks (tEXt/iTXt), the PNG specification now includes an eXIf chunk, and extended WebP (VP8X) files support EXIF and XMP RIFF chunks. This tool inspects and cleans all three formats.
Why does a photo downloaded from WhatsApp or Instagram show 'Not available' for GPS and camera model?
Social networks and messaging apps automatically strip EXIF and GPS headers when photos are uploaded to their servers. When you inspect one of those files, the viewer truthfully reports 'Not available' because those tags are no longer in the file.
What does the Remove Camera & Software Identifiers Only option do?
It scrubs identifying strings—Make, Model, LensModel, Software, Artist, Copyright, PNG text chunks, and JPEG comments—while keeping capture settings (shutter speed, aperture, ISO, focal length) and orientation intact.
Will removing EXIF metadata erase visible watermarks or date stamps on the photo?
No. Metadata removal only strips non-pixel header segments stored inside the container file. Any text or watermark visibly drawn onto the image pixels remains part of the picture.
When not to use this
Stripping EXIF tags will not hide visible clues inside the picture itself, such as street signs, license plates, badges or reflections.
Do not strip all metadata from a master archive copy that still relies on an EXIF Orientation tag unless you have already rotated the pixels upright.