privacyguides.org/docs/data-redaction.md

---
meta_title: "Remove PII with Metadata Scrubbers and Data Redaction Tools - Privacy Guides"
title: "Data and Metadata Redaction"
icon: material/tag-remove
description: Use these tools to remove metadata like GPS location and other identifying information from photos and files you share.
cover: data-redaction.webp
---
<small>Protects against the following threat(s):</small>

- [:material-account-search: Public Exposure](basics/common-threats.md#limiting-public-information){ .pg-green }

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

<div class="admonition recommendation" markdown>

![MAT2 logo](assets/img/data-redaction/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 [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" }

<details class="downloads" markdown>
<summary>Downloads</summary>

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

</details>

</div>

## Mobile

### ExifEraser (Android)

<div class="admonition recommendation" markdown>

![ExifEraser logo](assets/img/data-redaction/exiferaser.svg){ align=right }

**ExifEraser** is a modern, permissionless image metadata erasing application for Android.

It currently supports JPEG, PNG and WebP files.

[:octicons-repo-16: Repository](https://github.com/Tommy-Geenexus/exif-eraser){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
[:octicons-info-16:](https://github.com/Tommy-Geenexus/exif-eraser#readme){ .card-link title=Documentation}
[:octicons-code-16:](https://github.com/Tommy-Geenexus/exif-eraser){ .card-link title="Source Code" }

<details class="downloads" markdown>
<summary>Downloads</summary>

- [:simple-googleplay: Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.none.tom.exiferaser)
- [:octicons-moon-16: Accrescent](https://accrescent.app/app/com.none.tom.exiferaser)
- [:simple-github: GitHub](https://github.com/Tommy-Geenexus/exif-eraser/releases)

</details>

</div>

The metadata that is erased depends on the image's file type:

- **JPEG**: ICC Profile, Exif, Photoshop Image Resources and XMP/ExtendedXMP metadata will be erased if it exists.
- **PNG**: ICC Profile, Exif and XMP metadata will be erased if it exists.
- **WebP**: ICC Profile, Exif and XMP metadata will be erased if it exists.

After processing the images, ExifEraser provides you with a full report about what exactly was removed from each image.

The app offers multiple ways to erase metadata from images. Namely:

- You can share an image from another application with ExifEraser.
- Through the app itself, you can select a single image, multiple images at once, or even an entire directory.
- It features a "Camera" option, which uses your operating system's camera app to take a photo, and then it removes the metadata from it.
- It allows you to drag photos from another app into ExifEraser when they are both open in split-screen mode.
- Lastly, it allows you to paste an image from your clipboard.

### Metapho (iOS)

<div class="admonition recommendation" markdown>

![Metapho logo](assets/img/data-redaction/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.

[: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" }

<details class="downloads" markdown>
<summary>Downloads</summary>

- [:simple-appstore: App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id914457352)

</details>

</div>

### PrivacyBlur

<div class="admonition recommendation" markdown>

![PrivacyBlur logo](assets/img/data-redaction/privacyblur.svg){ align=right }

**PrivacyBlur** is a free app which can blur sensitive portions of pictures before sharing them online.

[:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://privacyblur.app){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
[:octicons-eye-16:](https://privacyblur.app/privacy.html){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
[:octicons-info-16:](https://github.com/MATHEMA-GmbH/privacyblur#readme){ .card-link title=Documentation}
[:octicons-code-16:](https://github.com/MATHEMA-GmbH/privacyblur){ .card-link title="Source Code" }

<details class="downloads" markdown>
<summary>Downloads</summary>

- [:simple-googleplay: Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.mathema.privacyblur)
- [:simple-appstore: App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id1536274106)

</details>

</div>

<div class="admonition warning" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Warning</p>

You should **never** use blur to redact [text in images](https://bishopfox.com/blog/unredacter-tool-never-pixelation). If you want to redact text in an image, draw a box over the text. For this, we suggest apps like [Pocket Paint](https://github.com/Catrobat/Paintroid).

</div>

## Command-line

### ExifTool

<div class="admonition recommendation" markdown>

![ExifTool logo](assets/img/data-redaction/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 }

<details class="downloads" markdown>
<summary>Downloads</summary>

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

</details>

</div>

<div class="admonition example" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Deleting data from a directory of files</p>

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

</div>

## Criteria

**Please note we are not affiliated with any of the projects we recommend.** In addition to [our standard criteria](about/criteria.md), we have developed a clear set of requirements to allow us to provide objective recommendations. We suggest you familiarize yourself with this list before choosing to use a project, and conduct your own research to ensure it's the right choice for you.

- Apps developed for open-source operating systems must be open source.
- Apps must be free and should not include ads or other limitations.