What is removed and what stays
The tool works on the structure of the file. It removes the blocks that carry metadata and copies everything else:
| Format | Removed | Stays |
|---|---|---|
| JPEG | Removed:APP1 (EXIF with GPS and preview image, XMP), APP13 (Photoshop and IPTC), COM (comments), JFXX thumbnails, all other APPn segments of manufacturers, data after the end of the image | Stays:Image data, the JFIF header, the ICC color profile (optional), the color segment of Adobe files, the orientation (optional) |
| PNG | Removed:tEXt, zTXt and iTXt (text fields, also XMP), eXIf, tIME and unknown ancillary chunks | Stays:Image data, color and transparency chunks (such as gAMA, cHRM, sRGB, tRNS), pHYs, animation chunks, the ICC profile iCCP (optional), the orientation (optional) |
| WebP | Removed:The EXIF and XMP chunks and unknown chunks; the flags in the VP8X chunk are corrected | Stays:Image data, transparency and animation, the ICC profile (optional), the orientation (optional) |
Why the image does not change
The tool does not decode or re-encode the image. It copies the image data byte for byte and leaves out the blocks with metadata. Quality, size in pixels and colors stay as they are, and the file becomes smaller by the size of the removed data. Afterwards the tool reads the new file again with its own parser and checks that no EXIF, GPS, XMP or IPTC data is left; a file that fails this check is not offered for download.
Orientation of portrait photos
Many cameras do not rotate the pixels of a portrait photo. They store the rotation in the EXIF tag Orientation, and viewers turn the picture accordingly. If that tag is removed, such a photo can appear sideways. With the option Keep orientation (switched on by default) the tool writes a minimal EXIF block that contains only this tag. Without the option everything is removed, and the photo can be displayed rotated. The pixels are never rotated by the tool.
What the tool cannot remove
HEIC, HEIF, AVIF, RAW and TIFF files are not supported; the tool says so instead of failing silently. Everything that is visible in the picture stays: faces, text, street signs, number plates and landmarks can still show where a photo was taken. Invisible patterns in the pixels, for example digital watermarks, are not touched. The new file gets the name of the original with the suffix -clean; the date of the file on the device is set by the browser and the system. Data after the end of the image, for example the video part of a motion photo or an extra preview, is removed together with the metadata.
Before removing, the EXIF viewer shows what a file contains. Open the EXIF viewer
Frequently asked questions
Are my photos uploaded?
No. The files are read and written in the browser. Nothing is transferred to a server, nothing is stored, and the page makes no requests while files are processed.
Does removing the metadata reduce the quality?
No. The image is not decoded and not compressed again. The image data is copied unchanged; only the blocks with metadata are left out.
Why is my portrait photo shown sideways afterwards?
The rotation is stored in the EXIF tag Orientation. If the option Keep orientation is switched off, the tag is removed, and viewers show the pixels as they are stored. Switch the option on and process the original again.
Does it work with iPhone photos and HEIC?
Not with HEIC files. They are rejected with a message. A copy of the photo saved as JPEG works.
Is the photo anonymous afterwards?
The metadata of the file is gone, but the picture itself can still give hints: faces, text, signs and landmarks. The file name is also part of what is shared; the new name keeps the original name with the suffix -clean.
Are the colors changed?
Not as long as the option Keep color profile is on. The ICC profile stays in the file. If it is switched off, the profile is removed, and programs then assume a standard color space.
Sources
- CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) / JEITA: Exchangeable image file format for digital still cameras: Exif Version 2.3 (CIPA DC-008-Translation-2012), APP1 segment and Orientation tag
- W3C: Portable Network Graphics (PNG) Specification (Third Edition), chunks tEXt, zTXt, iTXt, tIME and eXIf
- Google: WebP Container Specification, chunks VP8X, EXIF and XMP
- ITU-T: Recommendation T.81: Information technology, digital compression and coding of continuous-tone still images (JPEG), marker segments APPn and COM
- C-Cube Microsystems (E. Hamilton): JPEG File Interchange Format, Version 1.02