Help Center
Get step-by-step guidance on using ExifClean to remove metadata from your images and protect your privacy. Find answers, troubleshooting tips, and support.
Getting Started with ExifClean
ExifClean is a free, secure tool that removes hidden metadata from your images to protect your privacy. All processing happens in your browser - your images never leave your device.
What You'll Need
- A modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)
- Images in supported formats (JPEG, PNG, HEIC, TIFF, WebP, AVIF)
- Internet connection to load the page (processing works offline)
Key Benefits
- Complete Privacy: No uploads - everything processes in your browser
- Instant Results: See metadata analysis and clean images in seconds
- Free Forever: No registration, subscriptions, or hidden costs
- All Devices: Works on desktop, tablet, and mobile
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these simple steps to remove metadata from your images:
Upload Your Image
Drag and drop an image onto the upload area, or click to browse and select a file from your device. You can also paste an image URL to load images from the web.
Review Image Information
ExifClean will display your image along with basic file information like size, format, and dimensions. This gives you an overview of your image properties.
Analyze Privacy Risks
Check the "Privacy Analysis" section to see what sensitive information was found in your image, such as location data, camera details, or timestamps.
Review Full Metadata
Scroll down to see all metadata embedded in your image. This includes EXIF data, camera settings, GPS coordinates, and other technical information.
Strip Metadata
Click the "Strip Metadata" button to remove all hidden information. You can choose to preserve color profiles for better image quality if needed.
Download Clean Image
Once processing is complete, download your cleaned image. It will be identical visually but without any personal metadata.
Understanding Image Metadata
Metadata is hidden information automatically stored in digital images. Understanding what's included helps you make informed privacy decisions.
Types of Metadata
- EXIF Data: Camera settings, device information, timestamps, GPS coordinates
- IPTC Data: Captions, keywords, copyright information, creator details
- XMP Data: Adobe software information, editing history, additional tags
- ICC Profiles: Color management data for accurate display
- Thumbnails: Small preview images embedded in the file
Common Privacy Risks
- GPS Coordinates: Exact location where photo was taken
- Device Information: Camera/phone model, serial numbers, software versions
- Timestamps: Exact date and time of capture
- Personal Details: Photographer name, contact information, copyright data
- Technical Settings: Camera settings that might reveal professional equipment
Privacy Protection Best Practices
Beyond using ExifClean, here are additional steps to protect your privacy when sharing images:
Before Taking Photos
- Turn off GPS/location services in your camera app
- Disable automatic cloud uploads that might preserve metadata
- Consider what's visible in the background of your photos
- Be mindful of reflective surfaces that might show personal information
Before Sharing
- Always use ExifClean to remove metadata from images you plan to share
- Consider resizing or cropping images to remove identifying elements
- Review images for accidentally included personal information
- Use different image names instead of default camera naming schemes
Platform-Specific Tips
- Social Media: Most platforms strip some metadata, but not all
- Email/Messaging: Direct sharing usually preserves all metadata
- Forums/Websites: Many preserve metadata unless specifically configured otherwise
- Professional Use: Clients may need clean images for their own privacy protection
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Image won't upload or load
Solution:
- Check that your image is in a supported format (JPEG, PNG, HEIC, TIFF, WebP, AVIF)
- Ensure the file isn't corrupted - try opening it in another application
- Very large files may take longer to load - be patient
- Try refreshing the page and uploading again
- Disable browser extensions that might interfere with file handling
No metadata found in image
Solution:
- Some images naturally have minimal metadata (screenshots, web images)
- The image may have been previously cleaned
- Certain formats like PNG have less metadata than JPEG
- This is actually good - less metadata means better privacy
Download button not working
Solution:
- Make sure you've clicked "Strip Metadata" first
- Check your browser's download settings and popup blockers
- Some browsers may block automatic downloads - allow them for ExifClean
- Try right-clicking the download button and selecting "Save link as"
Tool is running slowly
Solution:
- Large images (>50MB) naturally take longer to process
- Close other browser tabs to free up memory
- Ensure you have sufficient free RAM on your device
- Try using a different browser or updating your current one
Image quality looks different after processing
Solution:
- Enable "Preserve color profiles" option before stripping metadata
- The visual quality should be identical - only metadata is removed
- Different viewing applications may display colors slightly differently
- Compare file sizes - the cleaned version should be slightly smaller
Supported Image Formats
ExifClean supports a wide range of modern image formats:
Fully Supported Formats
- JPEG/JPG: Most common format with extensive EXIF metadata support
- PNG: Web-friendly format with text chunk metadata
- HEIC/HEIF: Apple's modern format from recent iPhones and iPads
- TIFF: Professional photography format with rich metadata
- WebP: Google's web-optimized format with metadata support
- AVIF: Next-generation format with excellent compression
Format-Specific Notes
- RAW Files: Not directly supported - convert to JPEG/TIFF first
- GIF: Limited metadata support due to format limitations
- BMP: Basic support - minimal metadata typically present
- SVG: Vector format - different privacy considerations apply
Using ExifClean on Mobile
ExifClean works perfectly on smartphones and tablets. Here's how to get the best mobile experience:
Mobile-Specific Features
- Touch Interface: Optimized for touch interaction and gestures
- Camera Access: Take photos directly and clean them immediately
- Gallery Integration: Access images from your photo library
- Offline Processing: Works without internet once loaded
Mobile Tips
- Use landscape mode for easier viewing on smaller screens
- Process images before sharing to social media
- Save cleaned images to a separate album for organization
- Be aware that mobile images often contain more location data
Advanced Tips & Best Practices
Workflow Optimization
- Create separate folders for original and cleaned images
- Use descriptive filenames that don't reveal personal information
- Consider batch processing similar images together
- Keep a privacy checklist for different sharing contexts
Color Profile Management
- Enable "Preserve color profiles" for professional photography
- Disable color profiles when file size is more important than color accuracy
- Test how your images display across different devices and platforms
- Consider your audience's devices when making profile decisions
Security Considerations
- Never share original images with sensitive metadata
- Be aware that some editing software re-adds metadata
- Consider watermarking for additional protection
- Regularly review your privacy settings across all devices and platforms