How to Remove Metadata from Images on Windows

How to Remove Metadata from Images on Windows

When you take a photo, Windows and your camera store "Properties" inside the file. This metadata (EXIF) includes when the photo was taken, what camera was used, and even your GPS location.

Sharing these files without cleaning them can be a privacy risk. Here is how you can remove metadata natively on Windows 10 and 11, and a better way for batch cleaning.

The Native Windows Method (File Explorer)

Windows has a built-in feature to "scrub" personal information from files.

1. Open File Explorer and locate your image.
2. Right-click the image and select Properties.
3. Go to the Details tab.
4. At the bottom of the window, click the link: "Remove Properties and Personal Information".
5. A new window will appear. You have two choices:
   • "Create a copy with all possible properties removed": This is the safest bet as it keeps your original file intact.
   • "Remove the following properties from this file": This allows you to pick specific data points (like GPS or Camera Serial Number) to delete from the current file.
6. Select your preferred method and click OK.

Limitations of the Windows Native Method

While convenient, the built-in Windows tool has some drawbacks:

• It's slow: Cleaning dozens of files one by one takes forever.
• Incomplete: It sometimes misses specific metadata tags that modern cameras or editing software insert.
• No WebP/HEIC support: Windows' native tool often struggles with newer image formats.

The Faster Alternative: imgKonvert

If you want to ensure 100% of the metadata is gone from multiple images at once, using a dedicated metadata remover is much more efficient.

1. Navigate to the imgKonvert Metadata Remover.
2. Select or drag-and-drop your images (supports JPG, PNG, WebP, and more).
3. The tool automatically processes the images.
4. Everything is handled with your privacy as a top priority.
5. Download your clean, anonymous images instantly.

Why You Should Remove Metadata

• Protect Your Home Address: Stop people from finding where you live via GPS tags.
• Anonymity: Remove your camera’s unique serial number.
• Professionalism: Clean up "Date Created" or software edit logs before sending files to clients.

Conclusion

Windows makes it easy to remove basic properties, but for true privacy and bulk processing, an offline-first tool like imgKonvert is the superior choice. Make metadata removal a part of your daily digital hygiene!