What is metadata and how to remove it?

Metadata is the behind-the-scenes data that helps organize, categorize, and track files. It can tell you things like a photo’s original location and creation date or who edited a document. While this can be useful in many ways, it can also reveal details you’d rather keep private and be exploited by malicious third parties.

In this guide, we’ll explain metadata and how to remove it from photos, videos, and Word/PDF documents to protect privacy. We’ll also offer some extra tips to secure your data and answer common questions about metadata, covering its uses in databases, music, SEO, and more.

What is metadata, and what is it used for?

Have you ever wondered how your phone knows when and where a photo was taken? Or how a song’s title and artist appear automatically in your playlist? That’s metadata at work.

You’ll frequently see metadata described as “data about data,” and it’s a pretty apt description. It’s a bit like the labels on your files: it tells you what’s inside without opening anything.

In photos, for instance, the extra data can reveal when and where they were taken, the type of camera or phone used, and even technical details like exposure settings. This data is typically recorded in formats like EXIF, which can vary based on the device and settings.

But it doesn’t stop there.

Document metadata can show details like who created the file, when it was last edited, and even which software was used. While this info can help organize and track changes, it can also give away more than you’d like, especially when it’s shared unknowingly.

Why you should remove metadata

Metadata is useful for catching criminals or even exposing document fraud. For instance, in 2021, the High Court case of Rainey v Weller & Ors involved a dispute over Brenda Weller’s will. Metadata analysis revealed that the document had been tampered with, tipping the case in favor of the real heirs.

On the flipside, fraudsters have exploited metadata to refine their attacks. For example, they have targeted corporate executives with eerily accurate AI phishing scams, using details like document version history, creation dates, or even geolocation data from photos and online profiles.

So while metadata makes your digital life easier and helps solve crimes, it’s important to be aware of what it’s sharing and how to protect yourself. Regularly removing metadata from documents and images can help you avoid potential privacy disasters and keep sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.

How to remove metadata

While you can use third-party tools to remove metadata, sticking with built-in options is often safer. That way, you can avoid leaving unintentional traces of metadata that can be exploited by malicious actors (e.g., services storing a copy of your original file for error recovery).

Of course, that’s not always an option, so we’ll suggest some trustworthy programs wherever necessary. Here’s how to remove metadata photos and videos on the most popular platforms, as well as PDF and Word files.

Photos and videos

Here’s how to remove metadata from photos and videos on different operating systems and devices.

Windows

1. Right-click the file you want to remove metadata from, then click Properties.
2. Go to Details and click Remove Properties and Personal Information at the bottom.
3. Click OK to Create a copy with all possible properties removed.
4. Alternatively, select Remove the following properties from this file and choose what metadata gets removed. Press OK to finish up.

Note that if you want to remove the created date property, you’ll need to use the “create a copy” method and delete the original.

Mac

1. Launch the Photos app and click Image in the menu bar.
2. Select Adjust Date and Time to do so.
3. Choose Location, then Hide Location to remove it.
4. You can also Copy Location from one photo then Assign Location to another.
5. If you’ve changed a photo’s location in the past, you can Revert to Original Location.

As you can probably tell, macOS doesn’t let you delete a lot. Instead, you can use a free, open-source tool like ImageOptim to scrub all metadata from your files.

Be sure to access Preferences and adjust your settings, and backup your files in case you want to keep any metadata for later. Afterwards, simply drag and drop your files into ImageOptim and it’ll remove EXIF metadata and other unneeded info.

iPhone and iPad

1. Open Photos and select the files you want.
2. Tap the Menu button (three dots).
3. Choose Adjust Date & Time and modify as needed.
4. Then use Adjust Location and press No location to remove it.

Once again, you’ll need a third-party app for more in-depth metadata removal. Unfortunately, there’s no free alternative for iOS, but ViewExif is pretty cheap (at $0.99).

Here’s how to remove metadata with ViewExif on iOS:

1. Once you’ve downloaded the app, open it and allow it to access some or all of your photos.
2. Press Done and choose the photo(s) you want to edit.
3. Tap the eraser icon, then Remove Metadata.
4. Press Modify to finish removal.

Another useful ViewExif feature is Share without Metadata, which does exactly what it says. Simply share your photos from within ViewExif, and you won’t have to waste time manually removing metadata.

Android

You can remove location data directly through the Google Photos app, but if you want to delete more than that, you’ll need an app like Photo Metadata Remover:

1. Install the app from the Play Store and open it.
2. Use Choose Photos or Choose a Folder.
3. Allow the app to access your photo library.
4. Choose the photo or folder you want to remove metadata from.
5. Once the process is over, tap Done or Share the Image as needed.

Word files

Follow these steps to remove metadata from your Microsoft Word documents:

1. Open Word and click on File > Info > Check for Issues.
2. From the drop-down menu, click Inspect Document.
3. Choose the info you want to remove and click Inspect.
4. Optional: You might want to uncheck “Headers, Footers, and Watermarks” so you don’t lose your page numbers and other key details in said sections.
5. Press Remove All to delete the selected metadata.

PDF files

You could use Adobe Acrobat to remove metadata under File > Properties > Additional Metadata, but it requires the paid version. Instead, you can use a free tool like PDF Metadata Editor (available for Windows, Mac, and Linux). Here’s how:

1. Download and install the app from the link above.
2. Open PDF Metadata Editor and click Open PDF.
3. Find the document you want to edit and double click it.
4. Now you can change details like Author, Subject, Keywords, Creator, and more.
5. Click Save to apply the changes.

Is removing metadata enough?

Scrubbing metadata is a great first step, but it’s not a foolproof privacy fix. Here are a few extra precautions to keep your info safe.

• Private your socials: While social media sites strip some (or most) EXIF metadata, your posts can still reveal locations, habits, and other personal details. Lock down your socials to limit what attackers can see and use against you in targeted phishing attacks.
• Get a VPN: In addition to masking your IP and encrypting your online traffic to make it unreadable to snoopers, the best VPNs offer improved security by blocking ads, trackers, and malicious links while also keeping you safe on public Wi-Fi.
• Use a password manager: Nobody wants to remember a dozen long, complicated passwords, so it’s tempting to reuse easy ones—but that makes you an easy target. A reliable password manager handles the hard part for you, automatically generating and storing strong, unique passwords.
• Make metadata removal a habit: ViewExif and Photo Metadata Remover will make sharing selfies on iOS and Android without exposing your personal details easier. Meanwhile, keeping your documents metadata-free reduces the risk of leaking hidden info, like past edits or author names.

Metadata FAQs

Related:

• How to remove metadata from your photos
• How to remain completely anonymous online
• The ultimate guide to Instagram privacy