privacyguides.org/docs/metadata-removal-tools.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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System) 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).

    For Linux users, 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).

    [Visit 0xacab.org](https://0xacab.org/jvoisin/mat2){ .md-button .md-button--primary }

    **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)
    - [:fontawesome-solid-earth-americas: Web](https://0xacab.org/jvoisin/mat2#web-interface)
    - [:fontawesome-brands-gitlab: Source](https://0xacab.org/jvoisin/mat2)

### 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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exif) metadata from images, videos, and PDF documents using a simple drag and drop interface. It supports multi-core batch processing and dark mode.

    [Visit exifcleaner.com](https://exifcleaner.com){ .md-button .md-button--primary }

    **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)
    - [:fontawesome-brands-github: Source](https://github.com/szTheory/exifcleaner)

## 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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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.

    [Visit gitlab.com](https://gitlab.com/juanitobananas/scrambled-exif){ .md-button .md-button--primary }

    **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)
    - [:fontawesome-brands-gitlab: Source](https://gitlab.com/juanitobananas/scrambled-exif)

### Imagepipe

!!! info

    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).

!!! 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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exif) metadata. It has been translated into [many](https://codeberg.org/Starfish/Imagepipe#translations) languages.

    [Visit codeberg.org](https://codeberg.org/Starfish/Imagepipe){ .md-button .md-button--primary }

    **Downloads**
    - [:pg-f-droid: F-Droid](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.kaffeemitkoffein.imagepipe/)
    - [:fontawesome-brands-git: Source](https://codeberg.org/Starfish/Imagepipe)

### Metapho

!!! attention

    Metapho is closed source. We recommend it, due to the few choices there are for iOS devices.

!!! 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.

    [Visit zininworks.com](https://zininworks.com/metapho){ .md-button .md-button--primary } [Privacy Policy](https://zininworks.com/privacy/){ .md-button }

    **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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExifTool) 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.

    [Visit exiftool.org](https://exiftool.org){ .md-button .md-button--primary }

    **Downloads**
    - [:fontawesome-brands-windows: Windows](https://exiftool.org)
    - [:fontawesome-brands-apple: macOS](https://exiftool.org)
    - [:fontawesome-brands-linux: Linux](https://exiftool.org)
    - [:fontawesome-brands-git: Source](https://sourceforge.net/projects/exiftool)
    - [:fontawesome-brands-github: Source](https://github.com/exiftool/exiftool)

To delete data from a directory of files:

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