Remove location and hidden data from a photo
Phones save where and when a photo was taken inside the file. Drop a photo to see what it reveals, then download a copy without it. The photo stays on your device: nothing is uploaded.
Runs in your browser. Turn Wi-Fi off and try it.
What a photo can reveal
- the GPS position where it was taken, often within a few metres: your home, your child's school, your office;
- the date and time, to the second;
- the phone or camera model, and on some cameras its serial number;
- an author or owner name set in the camera or an editing app;
- a small preview that can still show the picture as it was before you cropped it;
- editing history written by apps like Lightroom or Photoshop.
When it matters
Many social networks strip this data from public posts. Photos you send by email, as a file in a messaging app, through a cloud link, on a marketplace listing or with a rental or job application usually arrive with everything inside. Anyone who receives the file can read it with a free viewer.
How the cleaning works
The tool reads the blocks of hidden data around the picture (EXIF, XMP, IPTC, comments, text fields, extra embedded images) and writes a copy without them. The compressed picture is copied byte for byte, so there is no quality loss. Two things are kept because they change how the photo looks: the colour profile, and the rotation flag when the photo needs it. The copy is then read again to check that nothing is left.
Stop it at the source
- iPhone: when you share a photo, tap Options at the top of the share sheet and switch off Location. To stop saving it at all: Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services › Camera › Never.
- Android: open the Camera app settings and turn off location tags (the name varies by brand).
Limits
HEIC photos are not supported yet. This tool removes hidden data only: a street sign, a house number, a face or a document visible in the picture stays visible. To black those out, open the photo in Sumi, which covers what you choose and gives you a PDF without the original picture underneath.
Questions
Is my photo uploaded?
No. The page reads the file inside your browser and builds the clean copy there. Once the page has loaded, you can turn Wi-Fi off and it still works.
Does cleaning reduce the quality?
No. The compressed picture is copied byte for byte. Only the blocks of hidden data around it are removed, so the clean copy is usually a little smaller.
Will my photo end up sideways?
No. Phones often store the rotation as a flag instead of turning the pixels. When a photo needs it, that one flag is kept and nothing else.
Which formats work?
JPEG, PNG and WebP. HEIC, the iPhone default, is not supported yet: share it as JPEG, or turn off Location in the share sheet before sending.
Don't social networks remove the location anyway?
Many remove it from public posts. Photos sent by email, as files in a messaging app, through a cloud link, on a marketplace or with an application form often arrive with everything inside. When you are not sure, clean the photo yourself.