privacyguides.org/docs/metadata-removal-tools.en.md

---
title: "Metadata Removal Tools"
icon: material/tag-remove
---
When sharing files, be sure to remove associated metadata. Image files commonly include [Exif](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exif) data. Photos sometimes even include GPS coordinates in the file metadata.

## Desktop

### MAT2

!!! recommendation

    ![MAT2 logo](assets/img/metadata-removal/mat2.svg){ align=right }

    **MAT2** is free software, which allows the metadata to be removed from image, audio, torrent, and document file types. It provides both a command line tool and a graphical user interface via an [extension for Nautilus](https://0xacab.org/jvoisin/mat2/-/tree/master/nautilus), the default file manager of [GNOME](https://www.gnome.org), and [Dolphin](https://0xacab.org/jvoisin/mat2/-/tree/master/dolphin), the default file manager of [KDE](https://kde.org).

    On Linux, a third party graphical tool [Metadata Cleaner](https://gitlab.com/rmnvgr/metadata-cleaner) powered by MAT2 exists and is [available on Flathub](https://flathub.org/apps/details/fr.romainvigier.MetadataCleaner).

    [:octicons-repo-16: Repository](https://0xacab.org/jvoisin/mat2){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
    [:octicons-info-16:](https://0xacab.org/jvoisin/mat2/-/blob/master/README.md){ .card-link title=Documentation}
    [:octicons-code-16:](https://0xacab.org/jvoisin/mat2){ .card-link title="Source Code" }

    ??? downloads

        - [:fontawesome-brands-windows: Windows](https://pypi.org/project/mat2)
        - [:fontawesome-brands-apple: macOS](https://0xacab.org/jvoisin/mat2#requirements-setup-on-macos-os-x-using-homebrew)
        - [:fontawesome-brands-linux: Linux](https://pypi.org/project/mat2)
        - [:octicons-globe-16: Web](https://0xacab.org/jvoisin/mat2#web-interface)

### ExifCleaner

!!! recommendation

    ![ExifCleaner logo](assets/img/metadata-removal/exifcleaner.svg){ align=right }

    **ExifCleaner** is a freeware, open source graphical app that uses [ExifTool](https://exiftool.org) to remove Exif metadata from images, videos, and PDF documents using a simple drag and drop interface. It supports multi-core batch processing and dark mode.

    [:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://exifcleaner.com){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
    [:octicons-info-16:](https://github.com/szTheory/exifcleaner#readme){ .card-link title=Documentation}
    [:octicons-code-16:](https://github.com/szTheory/exifcleaner){ .card-link title="Source Code" }

    ??? downloads

        - [:fontawesome-brands-windows: Windows](https://github.com/szTheory/exifcleaner/releases)
        - [:fontawesome-brands-apple: macOS](https://github.com/szTheory/exifcleaner/releases)
        - [:fontawesome-brands-linux: Linux](https://github.com/szTheory/exifcleaner/releases)

## Mobile

### Scrambled Exif

!!! recommendation

    ![Scrambled Exif logo](assets/img/metadata-removal/scrambled-exif.svg){ align=right }

    **Scrambled Exif** is a metadata removal tool for Android. It can remove Exif data for many file formats and has been translated into [many](https://gitlab.com/juanitobananas/scrambled-exif/-/tree/master/app/src/main/res) languages.

    [:octicons-repo-16: Repository](https://gitlab.com/juanitobananas/scrambled-exif){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
    [:octicons-eye-16:](https://gitlab.com/juanitobananas/scrambled-exif/-/blob/master/PRIVACY.md){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
    [:octicons-info-16:](https://gitlab.com/juanitobananas/scrambled-exif/-/blob/master/README.md){ .card-link title=Documentation}
    [:octicons-code-16:](https://gitlab.com/juanitobananas/scrambled-exif){ .card-link title="Source Code" }
    [:octicons-heart-16:](https://gitlab.com/juanitobananas/scrambled-exif#donating){ .card-link title=Contribute }

    ??? downloads

        - [:fontawesome-brands-google-play: Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jarsilio.android.scrambledeggsif)
        - [:pg-f-droid: F-Droid](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.jarsilio.android.scrambledeggsif)

### Imagepipe

!!! recommendation

    ![Imagepipe logo](assets/img/metadata-removal/imagepipe.svg){ align=right }

    **Imagepipe** is a a paint app for Android that can be used to redact photos and also delete Exif metadata. It has been translated into [many](https://codeberg.org/Starfish/Imagepipe#translations) languages.

    [:octicons-repo-16: Repository](https://codeberg.org/Starfish/Imagepipe){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
    [:octicons-info-16:](https://codeberg.org/Starfish/Imagepipe/src/branch/master/README.md){ .card-link title=Documentation}
    [:octicons-code-16:](https://codeberg.org/Starfish/Imagepipe){ .card-link title="Source Code" }

    ??? downloads

        - [:pg-f-droid: F-Droid](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.kaffeemitkoffein.imagepipe/)

Imagepipe is only available from F-Droid and not in Google Play. If you're looking for a paint app in Google Play we suggest [Pocket Paint](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.catrobat.paintroid).

### Metapho

!!! recommendation

    ![Metapho logo](assets/img/metadata-removal/metapho.jpg){ align=right }

    Metapho is a simple and clean viewer for photo metadata such as date, file name, size, camera model, shutter speed, and location.
    
    Metapho is closed source, however we recommend it due to the few choices there are for iOS.

    [:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://zininworks.com/metapho){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
    [:octicons-eye-16:](https://zininworks.com/privacy/){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }

    ??? downloads

        - [:fontawesome-brands-app-store-ios: App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/metapho/id914457352)

## Command-line

### ExifTool

!!! recommendation

    ![ExifTool logo](assets/img/metadata-removal/exiftool.png){ align=right }

    **ExifTool** is the original perl library and command-line application for reading, writing, and editing meta information (Exif, IPTC, XMP, and more) in a wide variety of file formats (JPEG, TIFF, PNG, PDF, RAW, and more).

    It's often a component of other Exif removal applications and is in most Linux distribution repositories.

    [:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://exiftool.org){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
    [:octicons-info-16:](https://exiftool.org/faq.html){ .card-link title=Documentation}
    [:octicons-code-16:](https://github.com/exiftool/exiftool){ .card-link title="Source Code" }
    [:octicons-heart-16:](https://exiftool.org/#donate){ .card-link title=Contribute }

    ??? downloads

        - [:fontawesome-brands-windows: Windows](https://exiftool.org)
        - [:fontawesome-brands-apple: macOS](https://exiftool.org)
        - [:fontawesome-brands-linux: Linux](https://exiftool.org)


!!! example "Deleting data from a directory of files"

    ```bash
    exiftool -all= *.file_extension
    ```

--8<-- "includes/abbreviations.en.md"