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Remove GPS data from photos before publishing

You knew exactly where you were yesterday at 9:37 PM. Your phone knew too. And if you shared a photo that evening, anyone with the file could know: coordinates accurate to within a few meters.

7 min read Remove GPS data from photos before publishing

En résumé

To remove GPS data from a photo, three free methods: an online tool like Impmage (no upload, local processing), Windows File Explorer (right-click → Properties → Details → Remove properties), or the Photos app on iPhone. Deletion is permanent: keep the original if needed.

Why your photos reveal your exact address

A smartphone with GPS enabled records the coordinates of each photo in its metadata: latitude, longitude, sometimes altitude. This data is accurate to within a few meters. It travels with the JPEG or PNG file by default, invisible but readable.

Déf

Geotag

Geographic location data embedded in an image file's metadata (EXIF format). Contains at minimum the latitude and longitude GPS coordinates at the moment the photo was taken.

Aussi appelé : GPS tag, location data EXIF, geographic tag

Ex : A photo taken at your home contains the exact coordinates of your address in its EXIF metadata, readable by anyone with the file.

Déf

EXIF data

Set of technical and contextual metadata stored in image files (JPEG, TIFF, WebP). Contains date, time, device settings, and GPS coordinates if geolocation was enabled.

Aussi appelé : Exchangeable Image File Format, image metadata

Ex : A photo's EXIF data can include: phone model, focal length, ISO, shutter speed, GPS coordinates, exact date and time.

In practice, any EXIF tool, or simply Windows File Properties Details tab, is enough to read these coordinates. No technical skills required.

A documented case

In December 2012, journalists from Vice revealed the location of John McAfee (then on the run in Guatemala) by publishing a photo whose EXIF metadata hadn’t been cleaned. The GPS coordinates embedded in the file indicated his exact position. This incident is regularly cited by the EFF and source-protection guides as a concrete illustration of the risk.

For a complete view of all information your photos contain, read EXIF metadata: what your photos reveal about you.

What Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp actually do

Instagram and Facebook remove GPS data when you upload. WhatsApp does the same when you send. That’s true.

But “social networks remove your GPS data” doesn’t mean the problem is solved.

This removal only applies to sharing on that specific platform, it doesn’t modify the original file on your device. If you share that same file by email, via a less protective messaging app, or by sending the original from a forum, the metadata follows. Some direct sharing modes also bypass automatic removal.

Good habit: remove GPS data before sharing, regardless of destination.

Method 1: Remove location on iPhone

iOS 15 and later allow you to permanently remove location from the Photos app, without third-party apps.

Remove GPS data on iPhone (iOS 15+)

  1. 1

    Open the photo in the Photos app

    Tap the photo to display it full-screen.

  2. 2

    Display details

    Swipe up or tap the information icon (ⓘ). Location displays if GPS was enabled when the photo was taken.

  3. 3

    Modify the location

    Tap 'Adjust' next to the displayed location.

  4. 4

    Remove the location

    Tap 'Remove Location'. The change is immediate and permanent on this file copy.

    Make a copy first if you want to keep the original with its metadata.

Method 2: Remove GPS data on Android

The procedure varies by gallery app. The method below uses Google Photos, available on the vast majority of Android devices.

Remove GPS data via Google Photos (Android)

  1. 1

    Open the photo in Google Photos

    Tap the photo to display it full-screen.

  2. 2

    Access details

    Tap the three dots (menu) at the top right, then 'Details'.

  3. 3

    Modify location information

    Tap the edit icon (pencil) next to the displayed location.

  4. 4

    Remove the location

    Clear the location data and confirm. Deletion applies to the file stored on your device.

    On some Samsung devices (Gallery app), the path is: menu → Details → modify location information.

Method 3: Remove GPS metadata on Windows in a few clicks

Windows 10 and 11 include a native metadata removal tool, directly accessible from File Explorer.

Remove GPS data on Windows (10/11)

  1. 1

    Right-click the image file

    In File Explorer, right-click the photo → Properties.

  2. 2

    Details tab

    In the Properties window, click the 'Details' tab. The file's metadata displays, including GPS coordinates if present.

  3. 3

    Remove properties

    Click 'Remove Properties and Personal Information' (link at the bottom of the tab).

  4. 4

    Choose which fields to remove

    Select 'Remove the following properties from this file', then check 'GPS Latitude', 'GPS Longitude' and 'GPS Altitude'. Check 'Select All' to remove all metadata.

  5. 5

    Confirm

    Click OK. Windows modifies the file directly.

    This method works on multiple files: select several, right-click → Properties.

Method 4: macOS

On macOS, the Photos app (Ventura and later) lets you remove location without third-party software.

Remove GPS data on macOS (Photos)

  1. 1

    Open the photo in the Photos app

    Double-click the photo to display it full-screen.

  2. 2

    Display information

    Press Cmd+I or go to Window → Info. The info panel opens on the right, location displays if GPS was enabled.

  3. 3

    Remove the location

    Click the place name or coordinates in the Info panel, then 'Remove Location'.

    On earlier macOS versions, this option may be in Image → Location → Reset Location.

For large volumes or if working outside the Photos app, ExifTool is available on macOS via Homebrew (brew install exiftool), the command is identical to the Linux version described in the batch section.

Method 5: Online with Impmage

Impmage processes files client-side. No image leaves your device, which is particularly relevant for an operation whose goal is precisely to protect your privacy.

Remove GPS data with Impmage

  1. 1

    Load the image on Impmage

    Go to tonfuturdomaine.extension and load your image by drag-and-drop or via the selection button. Accepted formats: JPEG, PNG, WebP.

  2. 2

    Access the Metadata tool

    Click the 'Metadata' tab in the toolbar.

  3. 3

    Remove GPS data

    Detected metadata displays. Remove location fields (latitude, longitude, altitude) or clean all EXIF data with one click.

  4. 4

    Download

    Download the modified file. Processing is complete client-side, no data passed through a server.

Remove GPS data from multiple photos at once

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Batch processing

Simultaneous processing of a group of files in a single operation, as opposed to file-by-file processing. Allows removing metadata from 50 photos in seconds rather than individually.

Aussi appelé : batch processing, processing by batch

Ex : Select 30 photos in Windows File Explorer, right-click → Properties → remove metadata: the operation applies to all selected files at once.

On Windows, the native method supports multiple selection. Select several files at once in File Explorer, then follow the same procedure as for a single file, the operation applies to the entire selection.

With ExifTool (command line), a single command processes all files in a folder:

exiftool -gps:all= -overwrite_original /path/to/folder

ExifTool is free, open source, available on Windows, macOS and Linux. It’s the right solution if you regularly process large volumes. On macOS, install it via brew install exiftool, the command is identical.

Impmage processes one image at a time in its current version.

How to verify a photo no longer contains location

On Windows: right-click the file → Properties → Details tab. If the “GPS Latitude” and “GPS Longitude” fields no longer appear, deletion is effective.

On macOS: the Info tab of the Photos app (Cmd+I) shows residual location if present.

Online: Jeffrey’s Exif Viewer (exif.regex.info) lets you load a file and display its metadata without software or server upload. If no GPS coordinates appear in the GPS section, the file is clean.

With Impmage: the Metadata tool shows data present in the loaded file. Reload the modified file to verify no GPS data remains.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if a photo contains GPS data? ▾
On Windows, right-click the file → Properties → Details tab. If 'GPS Latitude' and 'GPS Longitude' fields are present and filled, the photo contains coordinates. On iPhone, display the photo details in the Photos app by swiping up, a map appears if location is present.
Do Instagram and Facebook automatically remove GPS data? ▾
Yes, Instagram and Facebook remove geolocation data on upload. WhatsApp does the same when sending. But this removal only applies to that specific sharing, it doesn't modify the original file on your device. If you share that same file by email, forum, or non-protective messaging, the GPS data follows.
Can you remove only GPS data without touching other metadata? ▾
Yes. On Windows, the removal tool lets you check only GPS fields (latitude, longitude, altitude) without affecting date, device model, or photo settings. With ExifTool, the -gps:all= command targets location data specifically.
Does removing GPS data change photo quality? ▾
No. EXIF metadata is stored separately from image data. Removing GPS location doesn't touch pixels, visual quality, dimensions and colors stay identical. File weight decreases by a few bytes, which is negligible.
Can you recover GPS data deleted from a photo? ▾
No, not from the modified file. EXIF metadata deletion is permanent in the resulting file. The original must be kept separately if the data has value. Forensic tools can sometimes read residues on an unerased disk, but this isn't accessible in normal use.
Does my Android app remove GPS data when I send a photo? ▾
That depends on the app. WhatsApp removes metadata (including GPS) by default. Google Photos preserves GPS data when sharing the file directly. Standard SMS and emails transmit the original file with all metadata. If removal is important, do it manually on the file before sending.
Does Impmage send my photos to a server to process metadata? ▾
No. Impmage processes files entirely client-side: JavaScript reads and modifies metadata locally on your device. No image passes through a server. This is particularly relevant for this operation: removing location data via a tool that uploaded your files wouldn't make sense.

Clean your photo metadata now

Remove GPS data and EXIF metadata: 100% local, no upload, no account.

Use the Metadata tool
GlitchGhost

GlitchGhost

Independent developer

Independent developer specializing in web performance tools and image optimization.

Web developerPerformance specialistImpmage creator
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