How to Actually Remove Metadata From Your Files (Complete Guide)

You've decided metadata is a privacy risk and you want to remove it. Great choice. Now comes the practical question: how exactly do you do it?

The good news: removing metadata doesn't require expensive software or technical expertise. Free, effective tools exist for every operating system and file type. The key is using the right tool for your needs and verifying the metadata is actually gone—not just assuming it worked.

Why Remove Metadata Before Sharing

Always remove metadata from photos shared publicly or with people outside your trusted circle, documents sent to clients or external parties, files uploaded to public websites or forums, content that could reveal your location or identity, and professional work where revision history could expose strategy.

The Best Free Tools for Metadata Removal

Different tools excel at different tasks:

• ExifTool (Windows, Mac, Linux): Best for power users comfortable with command-line tools. Supports virtually every file format. Extremely powerful, works offline, batch processing.
• MAT2 (Linux, cross-platform): Best for privacy-focused users. Designed specifically for privacy, open-source, supports HEIC format.
• ExifCleaner (Windows, Mac, Linux): Best for beginners wanting a graphical interface. Drag-and-drop interface, batch processing, open-source. Doesn't support documents or PDFs.

Removing Metadata From Images

Method 1: ExifCleaner (Easiest)

1. Download and install ExifCleaner from exifcleaner.com
2. Launch the application
3. Drag and drop your images into the window
4. ExifCleaner automatically processes and saves cleaned versions
5. Original files are preserved; cleaned versions are created in the same folder

Method 2: ExifTool (Most Powerful)

Install ExifTool from exiftool.org, then run: exiftool -all= yourimage.jpg

For batch processing: exiftool -all= -r /path/to/folder

Method 3: Built-in OS Tools

Windows: Right-click the image file > Properties > Details tab > "Remove Properties and Personal Information"

Mac: Open image in Preview > Tools > Show Inspector > Remove Location

iPhone/iPad: When sharing, tap Options > Toggle off "Location" and "All Photos Data"

Removing Metadata From PDFs

Adobe Acrobat Pro: File > Properties to view metadata, then Tools > Redact > Remove Hidden Information. Check all boxes for content to remove, then save as a new file.

ExifTool: exiftool -all:all= yourfile.pdf

Print to PDF: Open the PDF, print it, choose "Save as PDF" as the printer. This creates a completely new PDF from the rendered content, stripping all metadata.

Removing Metadata From Office Documents

Document Inspector (Built-in): Open document in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint > File > Info > "Check for Issues" > "Inspect Document" > Check boxes for what to inspect > Click "Inspect" > Review results and click "Remove All" for sensitive items.

Removing Metadata From Videos

FFmpeg (free, command-line): ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -map_metadata -1 -c:v copy -c:a copy output.mp4

This creates a copy without metadata while preserving video and audio quality.

Verifying Metadata is Actually Gone

After removing metadata, verify it's actually gone:

• Use ExifTool to read metadata: exiftool filename.jpg
• Check file properties in your operating system
• Use online metadata viewers (but be cautious about uploading sensitive files)
• Compare file sizes—removed metadata often reduces file size slightly

The Bottom Line

Removing metadata is a practical skill that protects your privacy. The tools exist, they're free, and they work. The challenge isn't technical—it's remembering to actually use them before sharing files. Make metadata removal a habit. Your privacy depends on it.