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Remove EXIF from Photos on Windows: 3 Methods

Remove EXIF from photos on Windows with Photos or Paint export, ExifTool, or FFmpeg -map_metadata. Share JPEG copies without GPS tags.

By Petr Samokhin

You attach event photos to a public post. Readers do not see it, but the JPEG files can still carry GPS, phone model, and exact capture time in EXIF. Strip those tags before publish, client send, or ticket upload when location and device details should stay private.

What EXIF contains

EXIF embeds metadata in JPEG and some TIFF files from cameras and phones.

Tag typeExample
GPSLatitude and longitude
DeviceCamera or phone model
Date and timeOriginal capture timestamp
OrientationRotation flag some apps misread
SoftwareExport app name

Some social platforms strip EXIF on upload. Email, shared drives, and client portals often deliver the original unchanged. Online EXIF removers receive the full photo on upload; for sensitive shoots, process on your PC. See are online file compressors safe on Windows .

Stripping tags is not the same as compressing pixels. When you also need smaller bytes, see how to compress images on Windows .

Method 1: Remove EXIF in Photos or Paint

Best for: One or a few delivery copies with built-in apps.

Photos (Windows 11):

  1. Open the photo in Photos.
  2. … → Save as, or resize and save a copy to a new folder.

Paint:

  1. Open the photo.
  2. Save as → JPEG to a new filename (do not overwrite the original).

Right-click the original in File Explorer → Properties → Details to see which tags exist before and after. Keep originals\ with EXIF intact. Publish from redacted\ or web\ only.

Limitation: Export paths can leave some fields. Verify Details before you send.

Method 2: Strip with ExifTool

Best for: Deterministic tag removal without guessing through a lossy re-save.

winget install ExifTool

Safer pattern: write to a new directory:

mkdir clean
exiftool -all= -o clean picture.jpg

Remove GPS only while keeping other tags:

exiftool -GPS:All= picture.jpg

Limitation: You install and learn ExifTool. Prefer this when compliance needs proof of stripping.

Method 3: Batch with ExifTool or FFmpeg

Best for: Event folders and gallery uploads.

mkdir clean
Get-ChildItem *.jpg | ForEach-Object {
 exiftool -all= -o "clean\$($_.Name)" $_.FullName
}

Combine resize and metadata drop with FFmpeg:

ffmpeg -i picture.jpg -vf scale=1920:-2 -map_metadata -1 -q:v 3 clean\picture.jpg

-map_metadata -1 drops metadata in the FFmpeg output. This guide covers exported JPEG delivery copies, not RAW sidecars.

Limitation: Batch to a new folder first. Overwriting originals is faster but risky when legal needs untouched camera files.

Check the result

Review Properties → Details on a sample before and after. GPS latitude and longitude should be blank when full strip is the goal.

ScenarioRisk if you skip strip
Public blogHome or office location in GPS
Client deliverableDevice hints in Software tag
Support ticketInternal office geotag

When Photos or ExifTool is enough

Photos or Paint can finish a single photo when Details confirms the tags are gone. ExifTool fits folders and compliance checks.

GetCompress does not advertise dedicated EXIF stripping. After tags are removed (or when privacy is less critical than size), use it to resize and compress delivery folders locally. Pair with compress JPG on Windows when byte size and privacy both matter.

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